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UNDER  THE  WATER-OAKS 


'•  He  swayed  as  lightly  as  a  bird  on  a  slender  twig." — Page  28. 


UNDER  THE  WATER-OAKS 


BY 

MARIAN   BREWSTER 


ILLUSTRATED    BY   J.    F.   GOODRIDGE 


BOSTON 
ROBERTS     BROTHERS 

1892 


Copyright,  1892, 
BY  ROBERTS  BROTHERS. 


?Enibersttg 
JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I.  How  NAP  WAS  NIPPED 9 

II.  THE  DEER  HUNT 50 

III.  NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY 88 

IV.  A  STRANGE  CROP 133 

V.  THE  TRAMP 155 

VI.  BRER'S  KIDE 199 

VII.  GENE  OVERCOMES  OLD  BILLY.     .     .     .  242 

VIII.  LITTLE  LAND-LUBBERS  ON  GRANDMA'S 

BAY 258 

IX.  JOY'S  MISHAPS  .  280 


2134473 


UNDER  THE  WATEK-OAKS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

HOW   NAP    WAS    NIPPED. 

"  HUM-MUM-MUM  ;  luim-mum-mura,"  buzzed 
the  bees  all  day  in  the  top  of  the  water- 
oaks. 

"Hum-mum-mum,"  hummed  Nap  down 
below,  for  he  knew  what  secret  the  bees 
were  keeping  so  mum  about. 

The  little  darky  was  lying  on  the  broad 
gallery  of  the  house  that  nestles  under  the 
water-oaks,  kicking  up  his  bare  heels  and 
eating  a  sweet  potato. 

Brer  and  Gene  also  were  eating  sweet 
potatoes.  The  three  boys  always  were  en- 
gaged in  this  delectable  pastime  when  there 


10  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

was  nothing  more  exciting  for  them  to  do ; 
unless,  indeed,  the  supply  of  this  cold  re- 
freshment had  already  been  exhausted  from 
Aunt  Nance's  kitchen-safe  by  their  vora- 
cious appetites.  Brer  and  Gene,  however, 
had  not  keeled  over  in  the  easy  attitude  of 
their  black  play-fellow ;  they  sat  with  more 
dignity  on  the  gallery  steps,  their  broad- 
brimmed  hats  pushed  far  back  on  their 
heads,  and  their  elbows  resting  comfortably 
on  their  knees  as  they  munched  their  sweet 
potatoes,  and  impartially  tossed  titbits  of 
brown  peeling  to  the  dogs,  who  had  gathered 
at  the  foot  of  the  steps  in  an  expectant  but 
orderly  circle,  —  for  each  dog  was  very  well 
aware  that  if  he  wagged  his  tail  too  greedily, 
or  spoke  up  before  his  turn,  he  would  be 
ruthlessly  passed  by  until  the  next  round. 

The  two  brothers  were  well-built,  hand- 
some little  fellows,  with  intelligent  well-bred 
faces  such  as  one  would  hardly  expect  to 
see  in  the  backwoods ;  but  this  was  readily 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  11 

accounted  for  when  one  became  acquainted 
with  their  refined  mother  and  their  inde- 
pendent, high-spirited  father.  A  strong 
family  likeness  existed  between  the  boys ; 
but  Brer  was  dark,  with  dusky  eyes  and 
hair,  while  little  Gene  was  fair,  with  light 
hair  and  blue  or  "  white "  eyes,  as  Brer 
teasingly  called  them.  Gene  was  such  a 
"  thin-skinned  "  little  fellow  that  Brer  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  poke  fun  at 
him  occasionally,  just  to  "toughen"  him,  he 
said. 

It  is  true  Gene  was  exceedingly  quick  to 
fly  into  a  passion ;  but  his  wrath  died  out  as 
quickly  as  it  came,  for  Brer  knew  very  well 
how  to  manage  him.  No  one  could  remain 
angry  with  Brer  long ;  he  was  such  a  clever, 
good-natured  boy.  He  was  Gene's  hero  and 
model ;  the  little  fellow  had  been  following 
in  his  big  brer's  footsteps,  and  trying  to  be 
just  like  him,  ever  since  he  was  a  baby  and 
Brer  a  toddling  mischief  of  two  years. 


12  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  What  do  you  reckon  the  bees  are  saying, 
Nap?"  asked  Gene. 

"  Hum-mum-mum,"  Nap  saucily  replied, 
between  his  mouthfuls  of  potatoes. 

"  Oh,  come,  now,  you  Nap,  tell  us  what 
they  say,"  demanded  Brer,  making  a  vig- 
orous pretext  of  pitching  his  potato  at 
Nap. 

The  little  darky  instinctively  ducked  his 
woolly  head  under  his  arm,  but  lifted  it  in- 
stantly with  a  grin,  for  he  knew  very  well 
that  Brer  had  no  intention  of  losing  that 
potato. 

"  I  'low  de  bees  am  keepin'  a  secret,"  he 
replied  obediently ;  and  he  added,  with  a  sly 
glance  toward  the  girls,  who  were  playing 
dolls  on  the  end  of  the  gallery,  "  Lak  Neal 
and  Joy  keeps  secrets,  —  mum-mum-mum." 

The  boys  set  up  a  shout  at  this  keen  hit 
at  the  girls.  Joy  joined  in  with  a  shrill 
little  laugh,  for  she  always  enjoyed  the  boys' 
jokes,  even  when  at  her  own  expense  ;  but 


HOW   NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  13 

Neal,  who  was  always  trying  to  get  even 
with  the  boys,  pressed  back  the  smile  that 
twitched  her  lips  and  bent  low  over  her  doll 
to  hide  the  twinkle  in  her  eyes. 

"  If  bees  keep  secrets  like  girls  do,  we  're 
bound  to  find  this  one  out,"  laughed  Brer. 
"  I  know  something  that  I  sha'n't  tell,  mum- 
mum-mum."  He  pursed  up  his  lips  and 
pressed  them  hard  with  his  finger,  as  he 
had  seen  the  girls  do  when  they  wanted  to 
keep  a  secret  in. 

Neal  looked  up  defiantly. 

"  I  reckon  girls  can  keep  secrets  as  well 
as  boys,"  she  cried ;  "  this  is  the  way  }7ou-all 
do."  She  dropped  her  doll  and  strutted 
pompously  up  and  down  the  gallery.  "  You 
swell  out  just  like  you  would  burst  if  you 
did  n't  tell,  and  your  eyes  get  so  big  and 
bright,  so,  that  the  secret  is  bound  to  shine 
out." 

Joy's  gleeful  laugh  rang  out  again,  and 
the  boys  laughed  too. 


14  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  We  never  looked  such  idiots  as  that  in 
our  lives,"  declared  Brer.  "If  we  did,  it 
was  only  to  fool  you  girls.  When  we  have 
a  sure-enough  secret,  no  one  would  ever  think 
it." 

"  I  reckon  de  bees  'low,  ef  dey  keeps  right 
mum,  we-uns  neber  fin'  out  whar  dey  tote 
de  honey,"  remarked  Nap,  recalling  their 
attention  to  the  bees. 

"They're  mighty  sharp,  but  they  can't  fool 
us,"  cried  Brer ;  "  J  wish  the  old  sun  would 
hurry  along." 

The  boys  were  waiting,  with  what  pa- 
tience they  could  command,  for  the  slow- 
moving  sun  to  sink  so  low  in  his  course  that 
his  fiery  darts  should  not  blind  their  eyes  as 
they  traced  the  course  of  the  wily  bees  to 
their  secret  storehouse. 

It  was  early  in  February,  when  Northern 
boys  are  muffled  up  to  their  ears  in  defence 
against  Jack  Frost ;  but  the  feet  of  Brer  and 
Gene  were  as  bare  as  the  two  black  ones 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  15 

that  waved  in  the  air.  For  one  of  the  most 
delightful  things  about  the  water-oaks  is 
that  where  they  grow  all  the  seasons  are  so 
warm  that  the  canopy  of  leaves  above  is 
always  green,  and  one  can  run  about  bare- 
footed below,  all  the  year  round. 

To  be  sure,  there  are  two  or  three  morn- 
ings in  January  when  the  air  is  uncomfort- 
ably keen,  and  a  thin  white  coating  of  frost 
lies  on  all  the  roofs  of  the  Owlets'  Roost,  the 
old  well-house,  the  new  well-house,  the  po- 
tato-house, the  storehouse,  the  smokehouse, 
and  on  the  new  big  barn  away  to  the  right  of 
the  yard,  and  on  the  sheds  of  the  old  barn 
away  off  to  the  left,  and  on  the  molasses- 
house  halfway  between  the  two  barns.  But 
the  slight  frost  usually  disappears  before 
sun-up,  and  one  must  look  sharp  to  see  it. 
Once  or  twice  in  their  short  lives,  the  boys 
had  found  wonderful  ice-crystals  shooting 
across  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  bucket 
on  the  back  gallery ;  and  once,  only  once, 


16  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

they  had  seen  a  snowfall.  The  sight  was  so 
strange  that  they  were  almost  frightened, 
and  nearly  as  wild  as  the  chickens  that  ran 
distractedly  hither  and  thither  pecking  at 
the  bountiful  fall  of  flakes  that  vanished  so 
strangely  from  the  ground. 

Just  now  a  thick  bed  of  brown  leaves 
lay  around  the  roots  of  the  water-oaks ;  for 
new  buds  were  pushing  off  the  leaves  that 
had  shaded  the  house  for  a  year,  and  were 
bursting  into  the  tasselled  blossoms  around 
which  the  bees  were  swarming. 

The  sun  loitered  exasperatingly  that  after- 
noon, it  seemed  to  the  boys. 

"  I  believe  the  old  thing  is  standing  there 
on  purpose  to  bother  us,"  exclaimed  Gene, 
the  last  shred  of  his  patience  snapping  when 
the  supply  of  potatoes  gave  out. 

"  It 's  bound  to  go  down  sometime,"  said 
Brer,  encouragingly.  "  Can  you  see  what 
time  the  clock  says,  Mamma?" 

The  sun  was  considered  by  the  family  a 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  17 

more  reliable  time-keeper  than  the  clock ; 
only  when  the  former  failed  to  keep  up 
with  their  plans,  did  the  boys  deign  to  con- 
sult the  capricious  timepiece  in  the  room,  — 
a  place  that  they  did  not  frequent  except  on 
chilly  winter  evenings  when  the  north  wind 
drove  them  from  the  gallery  to  the  glowing 
fireplace  within. 

Only  a  tiny  blaze  was  fluttering  there 
now,  but  Mrs.  Lee  sat  in  the  cosey  chim- 
ney-corner knitting  the  white  square  of 
a  counterpane.  At  Brer's  question  she 
glanced  up. 

"  The  clock  says  half -past  four,"  she 
replied  in  her  low,  sweet  voice ;  "  but  I 
reckon  it  has  gained  since  your  father 
went  to  town." 

"  Half- past  four  !  Come  on !  We  won't 
get  round  by  night  if  we  don't  look  sharp. 
I  reckon  the  sun  won't  out  our  eyes  now. 
Come  on  !  Come  on,  you  Nap." 

It  was  Brer,  by  right  of  his  twelve  years 


18  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

and  his  superior  attainments,  who  planned 
and  directed  all  the  work  and  fun  of  the 
three  boys;  for  Gene  was  only  ten,  and  Nap 
was  smaller  than  Gene,  and  he  never  had 
any  birthdays. 

Usually  when  they  started  off  for  the 
woods  they  fell  into  Indian  file,  —  Brer 
ahead,  Gene  following,  and  Nap  contentedly 
bringing  up  the  rear ;  but  this  time,  in 
their  search  for  the  bee  tree,  Brer  placed 
Nap  first,  for  the  boys  half  suspected  that 
he  was  already  in  the  secret,  and  as  able  to 
take  a  bee-line  to  the  honey  storehouse  as 
the  bees  themselves. 

If  he  did  not  already  know  the  secret,  he 
knew  how  to  find  it  out.  The  bees  were 
leaving  the  water-oaks  in  all  directions,  but 
Nap  was  not  to  be  deceived.  He  knew  that 
they  all  were  of  one  swarm,  and  that  they 
were  only  making  a  pretence  of  separating 
until  they  should  be  away  from  the  house 
and  should  think  that  they  had  escaped  no- 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  19 

tice,  then  they  would  dart  straight  to  one 
tree. 

The  boys  had  left  the  yard,  and  trudged 
for  some  time  in  silence  down  the  thicket 
road,  when  Nap  came  to  a  halt  under  the 
dogwood  trees. 

"  Is  you  gwine  bide  yer,  Brer,  an'  watch 
out?" 

"  I  reckon,"  Brer  answered,  as  if  that  had 
been  his  plan  all  along. 

"  A.m  Gene  gwine  watch  out  back  ob  de 
cane-patch?" 

"  I  reckon,"  cried  Gene,  darting  off. 

"  Does  you-all  reckon  Nap  bes'  go  yonda 
roun'  de  pon'  ?"  asked  Nap,  anxiously. 

"  Yes  ;  git !  "  assented  Brer,  dropping  on 
the  pine-straw  and  tossing  a  burr  at  Nap. 

The  nimble  little  darky  caught  the  burr, 
sent  it  flying  back  with  sure  aim,  and  put- 
ting a  pine-tree  between  himself  and  Brer, 
sped  away  to  the  pond.  When  he  had 
scurried  around  the  pine-studded  brim  of 


20  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

the  basin,  he  threw  his  little  body  upon  a 
fallen  pine  log,  and  pulling  the  straw  crown 
that  served  for  a  hat  over  his  face,  he  ap- 
plied a  keen  eye  to  one  of  the  many  slits  in 
it,  to  watch  for  the  home-flying  bee. 

He  did  not  peep  long  through  the  chink 
before  he  discovered  the  way  to  the  sly  bees' 
house.  There  they  went,  across  the  disk  of 
blue  sky  that  covered  the  pond,  one  little 
speck  and  another  and  more,  coming  from 
various  directions,  but  all  aiming  toward  one 
point. 

Nap  whistled  the  mellow  notes  of  the 
meadow-lark ;  Brer  and  Gene  instantly 
responded,  and  in  a  few  moments  came 
bounding  over  the  pine-straw,  demanding 
excitedly  the  way  to  the  tree. 

"I  reckon  it  am  dat-a-way ;  I  reckon  you- 
all  see  de  bees  in  a  minute."  He  showed 
them  where  to  watch  ;  and  peering  up 
through  a  telescope  made  with  his  hands, 
Brer  soon  made  out  the  moving  specks. 


HOW   NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  21 

"  Come  on ! "  he  cried  ;  and  again,  with 
Nap  ahead,  they  sped  through  the  pines. 

It  did  not  take  them  long  to  find  the  tree. 
It  was  the  dead  white  pine  near  the  rippling 
branch  on  the  other  side  of  the  gully.  The 
bees  were  buzzing  noisily  about  the  tree-top, 
and  the  boys  could  see  a  black  swarm  around 
a  hole  just  above  the  lowest  branch  of  the 
tree. 

With  his  jack-knife  Brer  cut  a  large  B  — 
his  mark,  and  of  course  a  mark  for  all  three 
boys  —  in  the  bark  of  the  tree,  to  secure  it 
against  the  claim  of  any  one  else  who  might 
follow  the  bees ;  then  they  turned  homeward 
in  high  glee  over  their  success. 

Between  the  bee  tree  and  home,  however, 
lay  the  gully.  There  they  must  loiter  awhile, 
for  the  gully  is  the  most  fascinating  play- 
ground in  the  piney  woods,  and  the  boys 
never  could  pass  it  without  stopping  for  a 
frolic. 

The  gully  is  a  deep  crevice  in  the  hill- 


22  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

side,  probably  formed  by  the  washing  of  a 
spring  in  some  remote  time.  Its  rim  is 
firm,  and  bristling  with  the  projecting  roots 
of  pines  that  grow  on  its  edge  ;  its  perpen- 
dicular sides  are  hidden  by  a  tangle  of  vines 
and  shrubs.  Some  gum-trees,  rooted  in  the 
bottom  of  the  gully,  brush  the  sides  with 
their  branches  in  vain  effort  to  reach  the 
top  and  peep  over ;  but  only  those  trees  that 
have  been  fortunate  enough  to  secure  a 
footing  high  on  the  sides  are  able  to  reach 
far  enough  to  peep  out  into  the  piney  woods, 
but  they  good-naturedly  whisper  back  to 
their  lowly  companions  all  that  they  see. 

The  great  charm  of  the  gully  is  a  high 
ridge  of  clean  sand,  beautifully  shaded  from 
deep  reds  to  delicate  flesh-tints.  It  begins  at 
an  abrupt  stump-shaped  elevation  in  the 
middle  of  the  gully,  higher  even  than  the 
sides,  and  descends  in  a  long  line  to  the 
mouth,  sloping  away  on  both  sides  in  most 
enticing  slides.  Across  from  the  edge  of 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  23 

the  gully  to  the  sand-stump,  lies  a  large 
pine-tree,  hurled  there  by  some  accommo- 
dating wind. 

Across  this  natural  bridge  ran  Brer  and 
Gene  and  Nap,  balancing  themselves  with 
their  hands  and  clinging  with  their  toes, 
then  over  they  went,  tumbling  and  sliding 
down  the  slope  of  loose,  warm  sand,  to 
struggle  up  again  for  another  plunge.  There 
was  no  jollier  sport  in  the  piney  woods. 

When  they  were  warm  and  breathless 
with  climbing  and  tumbling,  they  took  turns 
being  buried  in  the  sand.  Finally  Brer  and 
Gene  covered  Nap  to  his  little  black  chin, 
so  that  there  was  nothing  left  of  him  but  his 
woolly  head  and  funny,  wrinkled  face.  His 
eyes  rolled  comically  up  at  them,  and  his 
white  teeth  flashed  in  a  continual  grin. 

"  Good-by,  Nap." 

"  Good-by,  Brer ;  good-by,  Gene.  Take 
keer  yo'self." 

Nap  remained   perfectly  still  until  Brer 


24  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

and  Gene  had  swung  themselves  up  the  gum- 
trees  and  disappeared  over  the  edge  of  the 
gully.  Then  the  sand  about  him  began  to 
heave  and  slide  like  a  small  earthquake. 
Presently  a  black  foot  cropped  up,  then  its 
fellow,  and  both  began  to  kick  vigorously. 
The  little  quick  hands  came  out  and  fell  to 
work  like  lightning  in  the  sand,  until  the 
whole  boy  was  unearthed,  and  sprang  with 
a  chuckle  to  his  feet.  He  gave  himself 
a  shake,  jammed  his  tattered  straw  crown 
over  his  wool,  and,  like  a  flash,  was  up  the 
gum-trees. 

The  boys  were  galloping  on  piney-woods 
ponies  in  the  sapling  thicket  at  the  head  of 
the  gully.  In  a  trice,  Nap  was  as  splendidly 
mounted  as  they,  on  the  springing  stem  of  a 
bent  sapling,  clinging  to  the  pine-top  with 
one  hand,  beating  unmercifully  with  the 
other,  prancing  wildly  up  and  down  at  the 
top  of  his  horse's  speed,  with  such  startling 
screams,  "  Hi !  hi !  hi !  "  that  Gene  lost  his 


HOW    NAP    WAS    NIPPED.  25 

seat  and  suddenly  dipped  to  the  under-side 
of  his  slender  steed,  tearing  a  long  rent  in 
his  jean  breeches,  and  scraping  his  leg  most 
exasperatingly  on  the  rough  bark  hide. 

"  You  Nap,"  he  shouted  angrily,  drop- 
ping to  the  ground  to  nurse  the  smart,  "I'll 
learn  you  how  to  scare  a  fellow  so  !  I  '11 
have  the  ha'nt  from  the  graveyard  after 
you  some  dark  night !  " 

"  Law,  I  did  n't  go  fur  to  mek  yo'  hu't 
yo'self,  Gene  ;  I  'low  yo'  hab  a  betta  holt  on 
yo'  ho'se." 

Nap  had  not  much  fear  that  Gene  would 
set  the  "  ha'nt "  on  him,  for  he  knew  that  the 
boys  were  as  afraid  of  the  ghost  as  he  was  ; 
but  he  was  sorry  to  have  hurt  Gene,  and 
sprang  from  his  pony  to  the  ground. 

"  Pooh  !  don't  be  a  baby,  Gene.  Pity  if 
you  can't  get  a  scratch  without  whining," 
scornfully  cried  Brer,  who  was  bounding 
rapturously  on  a  springing  pony  in  supreme 
indifference  to  Gene's  smart. 


26  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  You  would  n't  like  it,  I  reckon,"  re- 
torted Gene,  his  face  still  screwed  up  with 
the  pain,  but  rising  under  his  big  brer's  taunt. 
"  I  just  wish  Nap  would  get  hurt  once  so 
he  'd  know  how  it  feels.  But  I  don't  be- 
lieve you  could  scratch  him  with  a  hoe ;  I 
reckon  he  came  out  of  the  alligator-hole, 
his  hide  's  so  thick." 

"  Oh,  hush  your  growling  and  come  on  !  " 
commanded  Brer.  Gene  made  a  sudden  dart 
at  Nap's  sapling. 

"  I  'm  going  to  have  this  one,"  he  snapped 
ill-naturedly.  "  Nap,  he  always  gets  the 
best." 

"  All  right,  Gene,  I 's  gwine  fin'  'noder," 
agreed  Nap,  cheerfully. 

"  You  're  so  spry,  you  'd  better  take  the 
big  sapling  yonder,"  Gene  cried  sarcasti- 
cally, pointing  to  a  tall  sapling  that  hung, 
by  its  loosened  roots,  far  out  over  the 
gully. 

"  I  reckon  so,"  replied  Nap,  taking  him  at 
his  word,  and  starting  toward  the  tree. 


HOW   NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  27 

"  Come  back,  you  Nap !  Mamma  said  we 
should  n't  swing  over  the  gully,"  ordered 
Brer. 

Nap  paused  obediently. 

"  She  never  said  Nap  should  n't,"  insisted 
Gene,  perversely. 

"That's  so,"  Brer  agreed.  He  looked 
longingly  at  the  tree.  He  sorely  longed 
for  the  privilege  of  swinging  in  that  tree ; 
and  the  next-best  thing  to  going  out  him- 
self was  to  see  Nap  there. 

"  Sure  it  will  hold  ? "  he  asked. 

Nap  ran  on  to  the  tree,  and  critically 
examined  its  roots. 

"  I  reckon,"  he  called  back,  waiting 
eagerly  for  Brer's  permission  to  go  out. 

"  If  you  're  sure  —  I  don't  care  what  you 
do." 

"  Go  it  if  you  dast,"  challenged  Gene. 

Nap  made  a  spring,  and  with  knees,  feet, 
and  hands  climbed  up  the  slender  stem  and 
crawled  out  upon  its  tapering  length  until  he 


28  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

was  perched  in  the  feathery  pine-top,  far 
out  over  the  deep  gully. 

He  threw  up  his  arms  in  the  sun- 
shine and  gave  a  shout  of  delight.  He 
swayed  as  lightly  as  a  bird  on  a  slender 
twig ;  and  inspired  by  the  motion,  he  pres- 
ently began  to  chirp  and  gurgle,  and  finally 
he  burst  forth  in  a  medley  of  all  bird-songs, 
and  warbled  away  as  clearly  and  blithely  as 
a  "  sure-enough  "  mocking-bird. 

The  boys  had  often  heard  his  mimicry 
before ;  but  never  had  it  seemed  so  charm- 
ing as  now,  from  the  slender,  swaying 
perch. 

"  That  beats  old  Whir,  sure,"  cried  Brer, 
bouncing  from  his  pony  and  running  to  the 
edge  of  the  gully. 

Whir  was  the  boys'  own  particular  mock- 
ing-bird, who,  in  summer,  nested  with  his 
mate  in  the  scuppernong  arbor,  pecking 
grapes  by  daylight  and  singing  long  and 
loud  by  moonlight.  In  winter  he  and  his 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  29 

mate  helped  themselves  to  the  red  holly 
and  dogwood  berries  hung  for  them  by 
the  boys  on  the  gallery  of  the  Owlets' 
Roost,  and  they  selfishly  fought  off  all 
other  birds  that  ventured  to  approach  the 
water-oaks. 

When  Nap  ended  his  song,  Gene  clapped 
his  hands  enthusiastically.  He  had  quite 
recovered  from  his  fit  of  temper,  and  he  was 
very  proud  of  their  Nap's  accomplishments. 

But  Brer  had  seen  something  that  made 
him  very  sober.  He  called,  — 

"  Come  along  back,  you  Nap,  and  mind 
you  move  easy." 

Nap  started  promptly  to  obey  ;  but  at  his 
first  movement  the  tree  bent  slowly  and 
dangerously  low.  The  boys  shouted,  and 
rushed  to  the  roots,  that  were  slowly  but 
surely  upheaving,  and  bore  down  with  all 
their  might  upon  the  upturned  earth. 

"  Go  easy,  I  say,"  Brer  shouted  steadily, 
but  his  face  was  as  frightened  as  Gene's. 


30  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Nap  moved  as  cautiously  as  possible ; 
but  his  light  weight  was  the  last  straw 
that  overcame  the  resistance  of  the  roots; 
and  in  spite  of  the  boys'  efforts  to  keep  it 
up,  the  tree  went  crashing  into  the  gully, 
dragging  an  avalanche  of  earth  down  with 
it. 

Brer  darted  back  with  Gene  just  in  time 
to  save  them  both  from  plunging  head-first 
after.  He  sat  down  emphatically  with  the 
force  of  backward  movement,  and  Gene  sat 
down  beside  him.  They  were  on  their  feet 
instantly,  however. 

"  Nap 's  bound  to  light  on  his  feet,"  gasped 
Gene. 

Brer  turned  without  a  word,  and  bound- 
ing over  the  log  to  the  sand-ridge,  slid  down 
into  the  midst  of  the  fallen  branches,  Gene 
following  closely. 

"  You  Nap ! "  called  Brer,  in  a  voice 
that  was  trembling,  spite  of  his  efforts  to 
control  it. 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  31 

"  Yer  I  is,"  answered  the  soft  voice, 
faint  and  muffled. 

They  spied  him  sitting,  a  little  heap,  in  a 
nest  of  pine-needles.  His  face  was  hidden 
in  his  arm,  and  red  stains  covered  his  calico 
waist. 

"  Where  are  you  hurt  ?  "  asked  Brer,  scat- 
tering the  debris  and  kneeling  by  his  side. 

"  Dunno,"  responded  the  feeble  voice. 

"  Get  some  water  quick  !  "  ordered  Brer. 

Gene  flew  down  the  gully  to  the  spring 
that  flowed  at  its  mouth,  and  having  folded 
a  magnolia  leaf  in  the  shape  of  a  cup,  filled 
it  with  the  sparkling  water.  That  was  so 
little  !  He  jerked  off  his  waist  and  dipped 
it  into  the  spring.  With  this  dripping  from 
one  hand  and  the  magnolia  cup  in  the  other, 
he  hurried  back  to  the  boys. 

"  It 's  his  nose  !  It 's  all  swelled  up  like 
a  mushroom,"  explained  Brer,  in  great  dis- 
tress. "  Here,  take  a  sip,  Nap,  and  let  me 
wipe  you  off." 


32  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Nap  lowered  his  arm  from  his  face  and 
drank  eagerly.  He  showed  his  white  teeth 
in  a  momentary  smile,  that  gave  such  a 
distressing  twist  to  his  swollen,  bloody  feat- 
ures, and  his  eyes,  almost  closed  with  the 
swelling,  were  filled  with  an  expression  of 
such  appealing  dumb  suffering,  that  Gene 
burst  into  tears. 

"  Doan  go  fo'  to  cry,  Gene,"  remonstrated 
Nap,  trying  not  to  wince  under  Brer's  awk- 
ward touches. 

"  Hush  !  "  cried  Brer,  imperatively ;  and 
Gene  hushed  as  best  he  could. 

Brer  wiped  Nap's  face  with  Gene's  wet 
jacket  and  took  off  his  own  to  stanch  the 
blood. 

"  Now,  come  on,"  he  said,  gently  helping 
Nap  to  stand.  "  We  '11  tote  you  home." 

"  I  reckon  I 's  gwine  walk,"  objected  Nap, 
starting  bravely  forward.  He  was  so  dizzy 
and  blind,  however,  that  he  began  to  totter 
at  once ;  so  Brer  and  Gene  hastily  fashioned 


HOW  NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  33 

a  seat  with  their  crossed  hands,  and  forced 
him  to  sit  down  upon  it. 

To  mount  the  sliding  sand  and  cross  the 
log  with  their  burden  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. They  turned  to  the  mouth  of  the 
gully,  made  their  way  around  the  head 
of  the  spring,  and  climbed  the  long  slope 
of  the  hill  that  ran  to  the  water-oaks. 
Nap  was  a  little  body,  but  he  became  a 
mighty  weight  before  they  were  halfway 
home. 

Nevertheless  they  staggered  onward,  re- 
fusing to  set  him  down,  or  to  rest  until  they 
mounted  the  steps  of  the  house  gallery 
and  resigned  him  to  their  mother's  care. 

Mrs.  Lee  tenderly  dressed  the  wounds, 
and  laid  Nap  away  on  his  pallet  in  the 
corner  of  the  Owlets'  Roost. 

"  I  have  told  you  not  to  swing  over  the 
gully,"  she  said  to  the  boys. 

"  You  never  told  N —  "  Gene  began,  but 
he  had  the  shame  not  to  finish  this  defence. 

3 


34  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Gene  had  been  crying  bitterly  over  poor 
Nap's  mishap,  with  the  feeling  that  the 
accident  was  all  his  own  fault,  since  he 
had  suggested  the  big  sapling. 

Brer  could  have  wept  too,  if  he  had  n't 
"  got  past  crying ;  "  for  he  knew  that  he  was 
greatly  to  blame,  since  he  might  and  should 
have  prevented  the  catastrophe. 

Nap  himself  had  not  shed  a  tear.  He  had 
endured  like  a  stoic  the  pain  when  his  wounds 
were  dressed.  He  had  even  tried  to  cheer 
the  boys  and  comfort  Neal  and  Joy,  who 
looked  upon  his  bruised  face  with  tear-filled 
eyes. 

"  I  reckon  how  it  '11  be  all  right  in  the 
mo'nin',"  he  faltered,  with  that  painful 
grimace  that  he  intended  for  a  smile. 

But  it  was  not  all  right  in  the  morning ; 
it  never  was  quite  right  again.  Even  after 
a  long  time,  when  his  features  emerged  from 
the  puffed  flesh  and  his  eyes  opened  to  their 
natural  size,  Nap  did  not  recover  his  former 


HOW  NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  35 

looks ;  for  in  his  fall,  he  had  not  lighted 
upon  his  feet,  as  Gene  had  trusted,  but  he 
had  gone  down  head-first,  striking  his  nose 
so  violently  as  to  break  it. 

His  nose,  to  begin  with,  had  been  flat  and 
wide,  and  altogether  a  sufficiently  insignifi- 
cant feature.  By  the  fall  the  upper  part 
was  mashed  flatter  than  ever ;  but  the  end 
was  quaintly  pinched  and  turned  up,  as  if 
it  had  been  pinched  with  the  fire-tongs. 
The  upward  nip  gave  the  drollest  expres- 
sion of  pertness  to  his  otherwise  docile  and 
cheery  face. 

Except  for  the  pain,  of  which  he  never 
complained,  and  which  soon  passed  away, 
the  consequences  of  the  fall  were  of  no  im- 
portance to  Nap.  As  he  was  supremely 
unconcerned  about  his  looks,  the  turn  of  his 
nose  did  not  affect  his  temper;  and  he  re- 
mained the  same  happy,  rollicking  little 
darky  as  ever,  only  instead  of  Nap,  the 
boys  called  him  Nip. 


36  UNDEK   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

As  Nap  was  not  his  baptismal  name, 
merely  a  make-shift  for  want  of  a  better, 
the  change  was  of  little  consequence.  In 
fact,  it  was  quite  uncertain  that  Nip  ever  had 
been  baptized  or  properly  named.  He  had 
come  to  the  Water-Oaks,  in  the  first  place,  in 
a  very  mysterious  way.  He  might  have 
dropped  down  like  a  burr  or  come  up  like 
a  gopher,  for  all  the  children  knew  to  the 
contrary. 

They  had  found  him  one  morning  sitting 
on  a  log  just  without  the  picket  paling, 
with  his  chin  sunk  in  his  hand  and  his  little 
old  solemn  face  turned  patiently  toward  the 
gate. 

The  dogs  were  sniffing  curiously  at  him 
through  the  pickets,  and  wagging  their  tails 
as  if  in  welcome.  This  in  itself  was  strange, 
for  usually  the  dogs  were  frantic  at 
sight  of  a  darky  ;  and  even  before  sight 
they  would  set  up  an  angry  barking  if 
they  scented  one  approaching  through  the 


HOW  NAP    WAS   NIPPED.  37 

woods.  But  Nap,  when  lie  was  admitted  to 
the  yard,  they  greeted  with  the  fondest 
caresses  and  kisses,  and  he  was  soon  tum- 
bling among  them  like  a  brother. 

His  little  black  body  was  scarcely  covered 
with  a  red  cotton  slip  that  hung  in  tatters 
from  his  shoulders.  When  questioned,  he 
had  but  one  word  to  say  for  himself,  and 
that  no  one  was  able  to  make  out ;  but  as  it 
sounded  more  like  "  Napoleon  "  than  any- 
thing else,  they  gave  him  the  name  of  the 
great  emperor,  making  it  "  Nap,"  for  short. 

He  was  a  curious  little  creature,  —  some- 
times like  a  little  animal,  and  at  other  times 
so  much  wiser  than  themselves  that  the 
children  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  him. 
He  was  so  keen  of  sight  and  hearing  and 
smell  that  Brer  and  Gene  often  had  the 
queer  feeling  that  they  were  missing  half 
that  was  going  on  because  their  senses 
were  so  much  duller  than  Nap's. 

In  the  early  springtime  Nap  would  lie 


38  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

for  hours  with  his  ear  on  the  pine-straw, 
listening,  he  said,  to  the  johnnies  and  violets 
that  were  creeping  up  ;  and  he  would  tell 
Joy  the  very  day  when  the  sweet  little 
flowers  would  spring  up  and  open  their 
eyes. 

His  eyes  were  as  keen  as  the  buzzards' 
that  soar  up,  up,  up,  to  a  mere  speck, 
and  peer  down  between  the  pines  for  their 
prey.  Since  Nap  had  no  wings,  and  his 
world  was  so  small,  he  had  no  chance  to  try 
his  eyesight  at  such  loner  range  as  the  buz- 

\j  o 

zards,  so  he  used  his  bright  eyes  in  spying 
out  the  hidden  secrets  of  the  plants  and 
insects.  He  discovered  a  thousand  wonders 
that  the  boys  and  Neal  and  Joy  never  would 
have  noticed  but  for  him.  On  the  great 
round  trunks  of  the  water-oaks  he  showed 
them  a  perfect  garden  of  growing  beauties, 
which,  as  they  could  see  when  the  rains  had 
brightened  the  moss  and  lichens,  extended 
far  up  out  on  the  branches  even  over  the 


HOW   NAP   WAS    NIPPED.  39 

roof-sides  of  the  house.  There  were  myri- 
ads of  tiny  insects  swarming  in  this  perpen- 
dicular garden ;  and  by  putting  their  ears 
against  the  tree,  the  children  could  hear  the 
constant  rustling  of  the  busy  life  that  went 
on  in  the  wrinkles  of  the  bark. 

The  trunks  of  the  water-oaks  were  so 
large  that  it  was  impossible  to  climb  them 
without  a  ladder ;  but  Nap  would  spring 
from  the  cedar-trees  at  the  back  of  the 
house  to  the  roof.  He  would  scramble  along 
the  ridge-pole,  and  swinging  himself  into 
the  oak  branches,  run  along  them  like  a 
squirrel ;  and  in  a  twinkling  he  would  be  up 
in  the  tree-top  where  the  great  bunch  of 
mistletoe  grew.  Away  up  at  that  dizzy 
height,  he  would  wrap  his  little  legs  around 
a  branch  and  swing  head  downward,  or  he 
would  drop  almost  as  lightly  as  a  flying 
squirrel  to  the  lower  branches,  where  he 
would  stand  on  his  head  and  turn  summer- 
saults along  their  length. 


40  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Once  the  boys  had  undertaken  to  "  learn  " 
Nap,  but  the  little  darky  had  such  a  ridicu- 
lous way  of  looking  at  pictures  and  of  saying 
his  letters  upside-down,  spite  of  their  efforts 
to  teach  him  better,  that  the  boys  would  go 
into  spasms  of  laughter  that  sadly  interfered 
with  the  lessons.  This  was  a  pity,  for  Nap 
was  a- very  bright  scholar,  and  very  eager  to 
learn ;  and  even  with  his  book  wrong-side-up, 
he  made  considerable  progress. 

Nap  was  puzzled  to  understand  what 
difference  the  position  of  the  book  made. 
"  A,"  he  pronounced,  holding  the  book 
properly,  as  Brer  told  him.  Then  he  turned 
the  other  side  up,  as  he  liked  it  best. 

"  Am  dat  A,  Brer  ? "  he  asked  with  his 
finger  on  the  same  letter. 

"  Of  course  it 's  A" 

Nap  turned  the  book  on  one  side. 

"  Am  dat  A  ?  " 

«  Yes." 

He  turned  to  the  other  side. 


HOW   NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  41 

"  Am  dat  A  ?  " 

Brer  grinned  and  nodded. 

"  Am  dat  allus  A,  Brer  ? " 

The  boys  set  up  a  shout  at  this  logical 
conclusion.  It  was  useless  to  argue  with 
Nip  any  longer ;  and  as  it  was  too  absurd  to 
teach  from  a  book  held  upside-down,  the 
lessons  came  to  an  end. 

Nip  knew  plenty  of  things  out  of  books. 
"I  reckon  de  moons  am  de  ha'nts  ob  de 
suns  dat  gits  bur'd  ebry  ebnin'  in  de  pine- 
trees  yonda,"  he  remarked  one  night  when 
the  moon  was  peering  down  at  them  through 
the  dancing  leaves  of  the  water-oaks. 

"  What  are  the  stars,  Nip  ?"  asked  Gene. 

"  I  'low  de  stars  am  de  ha'nts  ob  de  sun- 
beams." So  he  had  an  explanation  for  all 
the  wonderful  things  with  which  their  small 
world  was  full. 

He  could  tell  what  the  pine-tops  were 
whispering  when  they  waved  away  up  in  the 
blue ;  he  knew  what  the  leaves  of  the  water- 


42  UNDER   TUB    WATER-OAKS. 

oaks  said,  and  what  the  squirrels  chattered 
about  when  they  scurried  along  the  branches 
of  the  oaks  and  over  the  roof  of  the  house. 
With  his  wonderful  voice  he  talked  with  all 
the  birds  in  their  own  language.  He  took 
his  turn  with  the  roosters  when  they  crowed; 
he  imitated  Susanna's  cackle  so  exactly  that 
Neal  and  Joy  would  fly  excitedly  to  find  the 
egg  in  the  old  hen's  nest ;  with  a  gobble,  he 
could  set  all  the  gobblers  a-gobbling,  and  the 
whole  flock  of  turkeys  to  strutting  and 
wheeling  about  the  yard  in  a  most  comical 
fashion.  He  could  screech  so  well  that  the 
three  geese  would  come  screaming  in  a  great 
flurry  from  the  pond,  with  wings  a-flapping 
and  heads  stretched  out  to  see  what  fourth 
goose  had  come  to  the  Water-Oaks.  They 
were  great  geese  indeed. 

Of  books,  Brer  and  Gene  themselves 
knew  very  little.  Several  times  young  lady 
teachers  had  come  into  their  little  world  to 
instruct  the  boys ;  and  every  day  for  hours 


HOW   NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  43 

they  would  be  shut  up  in  the  Owlets'  Roost 
with  their  books.  They  submitted  very 
meekly  to  this  imprisonment,  and  pegged 
away  right  faithfully  at  their  lessons,  man- 
aging to  stow  away  a  great  many  facts  to 
wonder  over  by  themselves  and  to  hurl  at 
Nip's  incredulous  head. 

Of  course  no  one  ever  thought  of  sending 
Nip  to  school,  and  Neal  and  Joy  were  too 
young  to  study ;  so  the  two  boys  had  the 
Owlets'  Roost  and  the  teacher  all  to  them- 
selves. Such  a  school  was  very  monotonous ; 
but,  as  it  happened,  their  terms  of  study 
were  very  brief,  for  the  poor  young  ladies 
soon  became  homesick  shut  up  in  the  piney 
woods,  and  begged  to  be  returned  to  the 
outside  world. 

The  outside  world  was  a  great  wonder  to 
the  children;  sometimes  they  heard  a  strange 
rumbling  in  the  east  that,  their  father  said, 
was  made  by  the  steamcars  at  Dewberry 
bayou ;  and  sometimes  they  heard  the  deep 


44  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

whistle  of  the  steamboats  in  the  far-away 
city.  Brer  and  Gene  could  tell  Nip  some- 
thing about  the  steamers,  for  every  summer 
their  father  harness-ed  big  Pacer  into  the 
long  wagon  and  drove,  with  their  mother, 
the  girls,  and  themselves,  twenty  long  miles 
through  the  piney  woods  to  Grandma's  Bay. 
There  they  splashed  in  the  water,  rolled  in 
the  sand,  and  hunted  crabs  to  their  hearts' 
content.  And  from  Grandma's  high  gallery, 
that  projected  quite  over  the  water,  they 
could  see  the  white  sails  of  the  ships  and  the 
black  smoke  of  the  steamers  as  they  passed 
toward  the  city,  or  out  again  to  the  gulf. 

It  was  when  they  were  on  Grandma's  Bay 
that  the  boys  came  nearest  to  believing 
that  the  earth  is  round ;  for  there  was  the 
low,  curving  horizon,  the  sky  bending  like  a 
dome  over  the  water,  and  the  ships  creeping 
up  from  the  other  side. 

When  they  returned  home,  Brer  would 
take  a  pomegranate  and  try  to  make  Nip 


HOW  NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  45 

understand  how  the  earth  resembles  it,  and 
that  he  was  like  a  fly  creeping  over  it. 

Nip  did  not  contradict,  —  he  never  was  so 
presuming;  but  he  expressed  his  doubts  of 
such  a  ridiculous  story  by  turning  a  circle 
of  twinkling  summersaults. 

"  Dis  yer  yearth  ob  ourn  sutenly  do  ''pear 
flat,"  he  would  say  when  he  was  right-side- 
up  again,  and  looking  critically  around. 

"An'  dis  yer  sky  am  mighty  nigh  flat, 
suah,"  he  insisted. 

"Ef  de  yearth  am  roun'  down  yonda  at 
Grammer's  Bay,  I  reckon  you-alls  boun'  to 
slide  off  some  day." 

The  boys  ridiculed  Nip's  ignorance,  and 
insisted  upon  forcing  the  truth  upon  him. 
He  let  them  argue  as  long  as  they  pleased, 
while  he  only  gazed  significantly  around  the 
level  clearing  and  at  the  stretch  of  blue 
above.  The  boys  looked  too,  and  forgot 
about  Grandma's  Bay ;  and  when  they  had 
been  shut  up  in  their  piney  wood  a  few 


46  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

days,  they  let  Nip  alone,  being  too  engrossed 
in  enjoying  life  in  their  own  particular  lit- 
tle world  around  the  water-oaks,  to  con- 
cern themselves  long  about  such  an  imper- 
sonal matter  as  the  rotundity  of  the  earth. 
All  their  interests  centred  about  the  five 
water-oaks  that  shelter  their  home.  These 
great  trees  stand  in  the  middle  of  a  broad 
clearing  in  the  piney  woods  of  one  of  our 
most  southern  States ;  their  broad  branches 
stretch  protectingly  over  the  house  that 
nestles  at  their  very  roots,  as  gray  and 
lichen-covered  as  the  great  trunks  them- 
selves. One  might  think  that  trees  and 
house  had  grown  up  together,  so  nearly 
alike  are  they  in  color.  Certainly  there  are 
enough  roots  for  house  as  well  as  for  trees, 
for  they  radiate  in  long  lines  through  the 
yard,  pushing  up  through  the  hard  clay  in 
most  provoking,  stubbing  blocks  for  bare 
toes. 

The  house,  with  the  various  outbuildings 


HOW   NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  47 

clustering  around  it, — the  old  well-house,  the 
new  well-house,  the  storehouse,  the  potato- 
house,  the  smoke-house,  some  under  the 
shelter  of  the  water-oaks,  others  farther  out 
under  the  pecan  and  walnut  trees,  —  is  pro- 
tected by  a  high  picket  paling,  that  is  pieced 
out  at  one  corner  where  the  Owlets'  Roost 
stands,  half  in  the  yard,  half  in  the  old 
peach  orchard. 

The  fine  new  barn,  much  larger  than  the 
house,  and  the  low  lounging  sheds  of  the 
old  barn  and  the  molasses-house,  are  entirely 
outside  the  paling,  removed  to  a  seemly 
distance. 

Pushed  far  back  on  all  sides  of  the  water- 
oaks,  is  a  high  wall  of  long-stemmed  feath- 
ery pines,  which  entirely  surrounds  the 
broad  clearing,  and  encloses  the  people  under 
the  water-oaks  in  a  little  world  all  their 
own.  The  clearing  outside  the  picket  paling 
around  the  house  is  cut  up  by  criss-cross  rail- 
fences  in  sections  known  as  the  "  patches  :  " 


48  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

on  the  side  of  the  new  barn  are  the  potato- 
patch,  corn- patch,  turnip-patch,  greens-patch, 
oats-patch,  watermelon-patch,  peach  orchard, 
and  garden ;  on  the  old  barn  side  is  the  old 
peach  orchard,  including  the  scuppernong 
arbor,  and  the  sugarcane-patch.  Surround- 
ing all  these  patches  runs  one  long  line  of 
rail-fence  along  the  border  of  the  pines. 

A  beautiful  soft  sky  canopies  this  little 
world,  stretching  across  the  clearing  from 
pine-tops  to  pine-tops ;  through  the  blue 
move  glorious  suns  of  various  sizes  and  de- 
grees of  splendor.  Some  days  the  sun  that 
rises  is  nearly  as  large  as  the  top  of  the  old 
well ;  while  on  other  days  a  sun  not  much 
larger  than  the  glimmering  disk  of  water  at 
the  bottom  comes  up  from  the  pines.  The 
beams  from  some  suns  are  so  hot  that  they 
threaten  to  shrivel  up  any  one  who  ventures 
from  the  shade  of  the  water-oaks ;  while 
other  suns  beam  down  with  a  mild  warmth 
and  light  that  are  very  grateful.  Moons,  at 


•HOW   NAP   WAS   NIPPED.  49 

night,  follow  the  sun ;  stars  start  out  in 
strange  array  over  the  patches,,  or  blink 
knowingly  down  through  the  leaves  of  the 
water-oaks.  Fleecy  white  clouds  sail  through 
the  deep  azure  of  the  sky ;  grand  thunder- 
heads  loom  up  in  the  south  ;  and  dark  angry 
clouds  come  sweeping  over  the  pine-tops 
from  the  north,  flashing  with  lightning  and 
crashing  with  thunder. 

With  their  own  little  world  so  fascinating 
and  full  of  strange  happenings,  what  time 
had  the  children  to  fritter  away  in  specu- 
lations about  the  shape  of  the  outside 
world  ? 


50  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   DEER   HUNT. 

BRER  and  Gene  were  on  a  wild  chase 
after  Flo ;  and  Flo  with  frantic  yelps  was 
spinning  far  ahead  over  the  pine-straw  on 
the  track  of  a  round-eyed,  bobtailed  rabbit. 

Suddenly  Gene  pulled  himself  up,  whirled 
around  in  his  tracks,  and  dropped  on  his 
knees  beside  a  cluster  of  salamander  hills. 
He  bent  for  an  instant  over  the  soft  yellow 
sand-heaps,  and  then  gave  a  shrill  shout, 
"  Brer  !  Oh,  Brer  !  Hold  on !  Just  look 
a-here,  will  you  ?  " 

Brer  slowed  up  with  evident  reluctance, 
and  with  eyes  and  ears  still  intent  upon 
Flo. 

"  What 's  the  matter  ?  Come  on  !  we  '11 
lose  it !  "  and  he  started  on  again. 


THE    DEER   HUNT.  51 

"  Oh,  you ! "  screamed  Gene,  dancing  up 
and  down  in  his  eagerness.  "  Let  it  go,  — 
that  rabbit !  Just  you  look  a-here  once  ! 
Brer-rer-rer !  " 

Thus  beset,  Brer  allowed  Flo's  plumy 
tail  to  vanish  in  the  tyty  grove  at  the  head 
of  Sweet-Water  Branch,  and  came  grum- 
blingly  back. 

"  I  reckon  you  think  you  're  going  to 
show  me  a  pesky  salamander  this  time,  sure. 
Where  is  he  ?  Come,  give  us  a  look  at  him. 
It's  time  for  him  to  show  something  else 
than  those  everlasting  sand-burrows.  Where 
is  he  now  ?  " 

Plainly  Brer  was  greatly  put  out  by  this 
interruption  of  his  sport,  and  indisposed  to 
be  satisfied  with  anything  less  than  a  sight 
of  the  mysterious  salamander  which  dur- 
ing the  nights  and  the  rains  threw  up  myri- 
ads of  little  yellow  hills  through  the  pine-' 
straw,  but  which  never  had  allowed  to  their 
watchful  eyes  the  briefest  glimpse  of  its  shy 
head  above  ground. 


52  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Of  course  Nip  had  seen  it,  and  so  the 
boys  knew  what  it  was  like,  and  what  it  was 
not  like,  —  neither  like  a  frog  nor  a  lizard, 
and  something  like  both. 

Had  Gene  actually  succeeded  in  capturing 
a  salamander,  the  rabbit  might  go ;  but  Brer 
knew  very  well  that  Gene  could  have  had 
no  such  luck,  and  he  was  very  angry  indeed 
at  losing  the  rabbit. 

Gene  gave  no  heed  to  his  brer's  scowls. 

"  Look  a-there !  "  he  cried,  pointing  trium- 
phantly at  the  salamander  hills. 

The  indifferent  gaze  that  Brer  bent  upon 
the  soft  sand-mounds  suddenly  became  eager. 
His  face  flushed  and  his  brown  eyes  sparkled 
with  excitement  as  he  stooped  down  and 
examined  the  dainty  tracks  that  marked  the 
moist  sand-hill. 

"A  deer,  sure,"  he  murmured  in  a  sup- 
pressed voice. 

"  Of  course  it 's  a  deer !  "  screamed  Gene. 

"Hush,  goose;   you'll  run  it  off,"  com- 


THE   DEER  HUNT.  53 

manded   Brer.      "Don't   you   see   that   the 
tracks  are  right  fresh?" 

With  the  instinct  of  a  true  hunter  he  cocked 
his  gun  and  peered  cautiously  around.  There 
was  no  live  creature  to  be  seen  except  Flo, 
who  came  loiteringly  toward  them,  with 
lolling  tongue  and  tail  hung  low,  and  with 
a  very  clear  expression  of  wonder  and  re- 
proach in  her  eyes  at  their  base  failure  to 
follow  up  the  bunny  which  she  had  so  nearly 
run  down  for  them.  The  boys'  only  expla- 
nation of  their  strange  conduct  was  to  thrust 
her  pointed  nose  into  the  deer-tracks.  The 
little  dog  gave  instant  recognition  of  the 
fresh  scent  by  a  series  of  sharp  barks ;  and 
after  nosing  about  a  while,  quivering  with 
excitement,  she  started  straight  off  toward 
the  enclosure  called  the  "  pasture,"  giving  a 
quick  yelp  every  now  and  then  as  she  fol- 
lowed the  trail.  The  boys  trotted  close  at 
her  heels,  their  guns  cocked,  and  their  keen 
glances  flashing  ahead  for  a  first  glimpse  of 


54  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

the  game.  It  was  glorious  to  feel  that  at 
last  they  were  on  a  "  sure-enough "  hunt, 
with  a  good  prospect  of  bringing  down  a 
deer,  —  a  deer  !  They  panted  and  trembled 
with  excitement,  but  there !  They  had  gone 
but  a  few  rods  when  the  horn  sounded  from 
the  house.  At  the  well-known  summons 
all  three  stopped  short,  Flo  with  a  howl  of 
remonstrance,  and  the  boys  with  groans  of 
despair.  The  brown  eyes  and  the  blue  ex- 
changed one  rebellious  flash ;  then  the  boys 
broke  away  from  the  chase  and  ran  rapidly 
toward  the  house.  It  was  exceedingly  hard 
for  them  to  leave  that  deer,  and  the  tears  of 
disappointment  welled  in  Brer's  eyes;  but  he 
manfully  winked  them  back,  and  hushed 
Gene,  who  was  fairly  fuming  with  rage,  and 
whose  blue  eyes  actually  seemed  to  snap  out 
sparks  of  angry  fire. 

"I  bet  one  of  the  girls  winded  that 
horn  just  to  fool  us !  "  he  cried.  "  If  they 
did  —  " 


THE   DEER   HUNT.  55 

"  No,  they  never.  It's  Mamma.  It's  time. 
Look  yonder;  it's  almost  sundown.  We 
won't  get  the  work  done  by  dark." 

"  But  a  deer !  It 's  right  mean  to  have  to 
leave  it,"  sputtered  Gene.  Then  he  turned 
and  shouted  savagely,  at  the  top  of  his 
voice,  "  You,  Flo !  here,  come  here !  you 
Flo!  Flo!" 

But  Flo  flew  on  with  a  yelp.  She  knew 
as  well  as  the  boys  knew  that  the  horn  was 
an  imperative  summons  to  the  house.  Her 
instinct,  however,  was  stronger  than  her 
sense  of  obedience ;  after  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion at  the  sound  of  the  horn,  she  had  whined 
wistfully  along  the  trail,  and  finally  had 
broken  bonds,  and  now  was  in  full  cry  after 
the  deer.  She  paid  no  attention  to  the 
boys'  shouting  and  whistling. 

"  Go  stop  her ;  she  '11  run  the  deer  off," 
cried  Brer,  himself  keeping  on  toward  the 
house. 

"  I  '11   stop   her,   the   hard-headed   beast ! 


56  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

She  needs  a  lesson,  and  she  '11  get  it,"  shouted 
Gene,  bounding  after  Flo,  yelling  wrathfully 
at  the  wilful  little  dog. 

Flo  heard  him  following,  and  half  paused  ; 
but  the  trail  was  hot,  and  the  keen  scent 
drew  her  onward,  spite  of  herself.  She  was 
confused,  however,  by  his  cries,  and  slack- 
ened her  pace  so  that  Gene  soon  managed  to 
shorten  the  distance  between  them.  Still 
she  refused  to  abandon  the  trail  and  return 
as  he  ordered ;  and  at  last,  out  of  breath 
from  running,  and  furious  at  her  disobedi- 
ence, the  boy  lifted  his  gun  and  fired  at 
her.  Poor  Flo  made  one  bound,  then  howl- 
ing with  pain,  whirled  rapidly  round  and 
round.  When  Gene,  white  and  shocked  at 
his  deed,  ran  coaxingly  up  to  her,  she 
crouched  low,  and  with  her  tail  between  her 
legs,  and  with  piteous  whining,  shrank  away 
from  him  and  limped  skulkingly  toward 
home. 

Horrified  and  ashamed  of  his  passionate 


THE    DEEK   HUNT.  57 

act,  Gene  hurried  after  the  yelping  little 
creature.  Before  he  reached  home,  Brer 
came  rushing  out  to  meet  him. 

"  What 's  the  row  ?  "  he  demanded  breath- 
lessly. "  What  did  you  shoot  at  ?  Did  you 
see  the  deer,  sure  enough  ? " 

Gene  could  only  shake  his  head. 

"What  was  it,  then?  What  ails  Flo? 
She 's  just  slunk  under  the  house  and  is 
whining  like  a  baby." 

"  I  shot  her,"  gasped  poor  Gene,  pulling 
his  hat  over  his  face  and  'bursting  into 
convulsive  sobs. 

"  Shot  Flo  !  "  exclaimed  Brer,  gazing  upon 
the  grief-shaken  little  figure  of  his  brother 
with  amazement.  "  You  —  shot  —  Flo  ! 
Gee!  What  did  you  do  that  for,  I'd  like 
to  know  ?  " 

"She  wouldn't  stop,  and  I  was  mad," 
wailed  Gene,  stumbling  over  a  pine-knot  as 
he  made  his  way  blindly  along. 

Brer   took   possession    of    the    gun,    and 


58  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

grasped  Gene's  limp  hand.  He  was  dum- 
founded  and  almost  as  disturbed  as  Gene  at 
the  occurrence.  He  led  him  along  without 
a  word  for  a  while ;  then  he  exclaimed  ab- 
ruptly, "  Suppose  it  had  been  buck-shot !  " 
at  which  suggestion  Gene's  grief  broke  forth 
afresh. 

"  I  never  thought  I  'd  hit  her,"  he  sobbed. 

"  No,  I  reckon  not,  I  reckon  you  did  n't 
think  anything ;  but  you  did  hit  her,  you 
see.  Suppose  it  had  been  Nip  or  me,  I 
reckon  it  would  n't  have  made  a  bit  of  dif- 
ference. You  'd  done  us  just  the  same  as 
you  did  Flo.  I  declare,  you  're  right  dan- 
gerous with  a  gun  ! " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  want  a  gun  ;  I  '11  never 
touch  one  again  !  "  cried  Gene,  actually 
frightened  by  the  thought  of  the  awful 
things  he  might  do  in  one  of  his  blind 
passions. 

He  threw  himself  upon  the  ground  in  a 
paroxysm  of  fear  and  remorse. 


THE    DEER    HUNT.  59 

"  I  don't  want  to  shoot  anybody,"  he 
moaned;  "I  didn't  go  for  to  shoot  Flo." 

Brer  was  alarmed  at  the  storm  of  passion 
that  shook  his  little  brother ;  and  kneeling 
down,  he  put  his  arms  around  the  trembling 
form  and  began  to  soothe  him.  "  Oh,  come, 
now ;  don't  take  on  so,  Gene.  Of  course 
you  did  n't  mean  to  do  it ;  and  I  reckon  Nip 
and  I  are  safe  enough.  I  '11  trust  you  not 
to  shoot  us,  nor  anybody  nor  anything.  I 
reckon  you  've  learned  a  lesson,  and  you  're 
safe  not  to  do  that  way  again.  Come  on, 
now,  Mamma  will  think  you  are  hurt,  and 
will  be  coming  out  to  see.  Come,  I  reckon 
Flo  is  more  frightened  than  hurt.  Besides, 
there  is  all  the  work,  and  it  is  sundown 
now." 

Thus  coaxed  and  urged,  Gene  allowed 
himself  to  be  lifted  to  his  feet  and  trotted 
along  beside  his  brer,  with  a  penitent,  tear- 
stained  face  and  with  an  occasional  sniff  to 
tell  of  his  repressed  feelings. 


60  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

His  grief  and  shame  burst  forth  again  at 
sight  of  his  mother,  who  was  anxiously  wait- 
ing at  the  gate.  Rushing  to  her,  he  clasped 
her  convulsively,  and  with  loud  sobbings 
buried  his  face  in  her  bosom. 

She  held  him  close,  alarmed  at  the  out- 
burst, and  looked  to  Brer  for  explanation. 

"  He  got  provoked  and  peppered  Flo  with 
small-shot,"  Brer  said  briefly. 

"  My  son  did  that  ?  My  son  !  My  poor 
little  son  let  the  angry  spirit  get  the  better 
of  him,  so  that  he  hurt  an  innocent  dumb 
beast !  Mother  is  ashamed  and  sorry." 

She  did  not  loosen  her  warm  clasp,  but 
led  him  away  to  her  room,  bidding  Brer  go 
on  with  his  work,  promising  that  his  little 
brother  should  join  him  in  a  few  minutes. 

"  Can't  Nip  water  the  horses  ? "  asked 
Brer. 

"  Well,  yes,  I  reckon  he  might,  if  he  '11 
be  careful  not  to  get  a  tumble.  Tell  him 
not  to  mount." 


THE   DEER   HUNT.  61 

Mrs.  Lee  gave  this  permission  with  some 
hesitation ;  for  Nip  was  still  an  invalid,  with 
his  nose  under  a  plaster,  and  he  had  been 
kept  very  quiet  lest  some  new  injury  should 
befall  him. 

Brer  could  hear  Nip  and  the  girls  laugh- 
ing on  the  front  gallery,  and  he  stole  slyly 
to  the  corner  of  the  house  to  see  what 
amused  them. 

It  would  be  very  unjust  to  Neal  and  Joy 
to  say  that  they  rejoiced  over  Nip's  broken 
nose,  for  no  little  girls  could  have  been  more 
tender-hearted  and  sympathetic  than  they 
had  been  while  the  throbbing  pain  lasted ; 
but  without  doubt  they  enjoyed  the  novelty 
of  having  Nip  about  the  house,  and  de- 
rived the  greatest  pleasure  in  nursing  him. 
Certainly  two  little  girls  never  devoted 
themselves  to  a  more  charming  and  divert- 

• 

ing  patient. 

It  is  true  that  except  when  one  or  the 
other  took  a  notion  to  dose  him  with  some 


62  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

home-made  concoction,  such  as  pine-top  tea, 
sassafras  tonic,  or  dogwood  berry  wine, 
they  usually  forgot  his  invalid  condition ; 
for  the  little  darky  had  the  most  enter- 
taining habit  of  assuming  one  character 
after  another  in  bewildering  succession. 

At  one  time  he  would  be  a  stupid  owl, 
solemnly  blinking  at  them  from  a  dark 
corner  and  startling  them  with  a  sudden 
"Too-whit,  too-whoo,"  or  by  flapping  awk- 
wardly across  to  another  corner. 

At  another  time  he  was  down  on  all  fours 
in  comic  imitation  of  Neal's  pet  Nanny, 
pattering  briskly  up  and  down  the  galleries, 
marching  smartly  through  the  rooms,  nib- 
bling at  everything  within  reach,  papers, 
books,  the  splint  bottoms  of  chairs,  the  dolls' 
dresses, —  everything,  in  fact,  which  the  girls 
could  not  whisk  out  of  the  way.  Not  until 
Neal  called  him  'off  would  he  pause  in  his 
mischievous  incursions ;  and  then  he  would 
patter  around  after  his  little  mistress  with 


THE    DEER   HUNT.  63 

a  persistency  that  drove  Neal  frantically 
hither  and  thither  in  vain  efforts  to  es- 
cape, and  which  caused  Joy  to  scream  with 
laughter. 

"  Baa,  baa !  "  the  little  black  Nan  would 
bleat,  until  Neal  would  seize  his  wool  and 
drag  him  with  pretended  force  into  an  im- 
aginary orchard ;  and  even  then,  the  im- 
portunate bleating  would  continue  until  a 
bottle  full  of  milk  and  water  had  been 
brought.  Seizing  the  nipple  in  his  mouth, 
he  would  pull  and  butt  away  in  the  most 
vigorous  Nanny-fashion  until  the  bottle 
was  emptied,  and  Neal  and  Joy  exhausted 
with  laughing. 

There  was  no  creature  nor  person  under 
the  water-oaks  whose  character  he  did  not 
assume  during  his  enforced  stay  at  the  house. 
When  Brer  sought  him,  he  was  swaying 
serenely  back  and  forth  in  a  rocking-chair 
on  the  front  gallery.  Poised  lightly  in  his 
slender  hands  was  a  set  of  knitting-needles 


64  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

that  were  flashing  briskly  through  some 
bright  wool.  At  his  feet  sat  Neal  and  Joy, 
at  whom  he  was  peering  over  a  pair  of  im- 
aginary spectacles  with  an  expression  of  mild 
benevolence  that  could  not  be  mistaken.  He 
was  Grandma  for  the  time  being. 

"Neal,  my  deah,"  he  was  saying  with 
gentle  severity,  "  set  right  up,  chile ;  it 
'stresses  me  to  see  yo'  ches'  so  narrer.  You- 
alls  gwine  be  roun'  lak  a  bar'1-hoop,  ef  you 
doan  watch  out.  I  reckon  you  wants  to  be 
straight  an'  el'gant  lak  yo'  aunty.  Now, 
den,  dat  am  betta.  Joy,  lob,  doan  wiggle  yo' 
liT  body  'bout  so.  Yo'  'stract  yo'  po'  gram- 
mer  so  she  can't  go  long  wiv  dis  yer  story. 
Dar,  dat  am  right  puty.  Now,  den,  whar  did 
Grammer  git  to  ?  Oh,  yas,  I 'members.  'Now 
when  dis  yer  liT  bird  wat  I  done  tole  yo' 
'bout  —  '" 

"  Come  along,  Grandma,  and  help  me  with 
the  horses,"  here  broke  in  Brer,  in  a  disre- 
spectful shout. 


THE   DEER   HUNT.  65 

"  Oh,  Brer,  what  ails  Flo  ?  "  screamed  the 
girls,  in  a  shrill  duet.  "  She 's  under  the 
house  whining,  and  won't  come  out." 

"  Flo !  who  said  there  was  anything  the 
matter  with  Flo  ? "  demanded  Brer. 

"  But  something  is  the  matter.  Nip 
crawled  under,  and  she  would  n't  let  him 
touch  her,  and  she  's  fond  of  Nip,  you  know. 
What  did  hurt  her?  What  did  you  shoot?" 

"  I  'm  in  a  hurry ;  come  on,  Grammer," 
was  Brer's  only  response. 

"  He  can't  come  until  you  tell  about  Flo," 
declared  Neal. 

"  Yes,  he  can.  Mamma  said  he  was  to 
help  me." 

"  Well,  he  can  go  when  he  tells  what  be- 
came of  the  little  bird." 

"  Oh,  don't  mind  them,  Nip,  come  on." 

Nip,  who  had  preserved  his  dignity 
throughout  this  squabble,  raised  a  slender 
hand  in  quiet  rebuke.  "  LiT  chilluns,  liT 
chilluns,  gently  !  Brer  done  forgot  hisself 


66  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

when  he  done  'terrupt  his  ole  grammer  so, 
an'  tell  her  come  'ten'  de  ho'ses.  I 's  too  ole 
to  'ten'  de  ho'ses,  Brer ;  but  I  'low  I  ken  sen' 
dat  lazy  nigger,  Nip,  to  help  yo'  ef  I  ken 
fin'  de  no  'count  rascal.  Jes'  go  'long,  Brer ; 
I  'low  he's  comin'." 

"  Now,  Nip,  you  can't  —  " 

"  Hush,  Neal.  Dat  dar  liT  bird  jes'  go 
up  an'  up,  pas'  de  sky.  I 's  comin',  Brer !  " 

"  What  did  the  little  bird  find  up  there 
past  the  sky  ? "  persisted  Joy. 

"Go  'long,  Joy.  Dis  chile  dunno.  I's 
gwine  fin'  out  some  day,  I  reckon,  when  I 
done  wata  de  ho'ses." 

He  slipped  away  from  the  unwilling  girls 
and  spun  away  across  the  yard  and  out  to 
the  new  barn. 

"Das  we  let  'em  hab  a  run  dis  ebnin', 
Brer  ?  "  he  asked,  as  he  let  out  old  Bess  and 
her  colt  to  find  their  own  way  to  the  trough. 

"  No,  not  to-night.  It  's  almost  dark 
now.  Just  hurry  along  as  fast  as  ever  you 


THE   DEER   HUNT.  67 

can.  I  'm  just  bound  to  have  some  fun 
to-night.  I'll  tell  you.  Perhaps  Mamma '11 
let  you  go  with  me.  Just  hustle  the  horses 
along.  What 's  that  Bess  up  to  ?  You 
Bess,  whoa  there  !  " 

The  old  horse  was  nosing  the  wooden 
latch  of  the  gate,  with  the  intention  of  en- 
tering the  yard  and  taking  a  stroll  around 
the  house  under  the  water-oaks ;  but  at 
Brer's  authoritative  call  she  tossed  her  black 
mane  with  a  show  of  indifference  and  hur- 
ried demurely  back  to  the  trough,  her  colt 
frisking  around  her. 

Next  to  the  stall  of  old  Bess  was  that  of 
Pacer,  who  was  stamping  about  impatiently. 
Pacer  was  a  high  and  mighty  horse  in  more 
senses  than  one.  He  was  a  great  tall,  strong 
creature  with  a  temper  as  fiery  as  his  red 
coat.  Indeed,  he  was  of  such  vicious  temper 
that  before  Nip  came,  no  one  but  Mr.  Lee 
had  ventured  to  approach  him;  but  Nip, 
at  the  very  first,  to  the  amazement  of  the 


68  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

boys,  had  run  fearlessly  into  the  stall,  tum- 
bled into  the  hay  directly  under  the  horse's 
fiery  eyes  and  strong  gleaming  teeth,  and 
had  clambered  all  over  the  huge  beast ;  and 
Pacer  had  endured  all  this  familiarity  with- 
out once  bucking  or  lifting  a  hoof. 

"  Come  'long,  old  Pacer,"  sang  Nip, 
swinging  open  the  door  of  the  stall  and 
reaching  up  to  clutch  the  long  red  mane  as 
the  horse  hurried  out. 

Pacer  tossed  his  head  with  a  whinny  and 
trotted  to  the  trough,  Nip  running  at  his 
side.  "Brer  'low  yo'-all  carn't  hab  no 
frolic  dis  ebnin',  ol'  Pacer.  Marster  done 
go  on  de  hunt,  and  we-uns  doin'  all  de 
wo'k,"  explained  Nip,  patting  the  horse's 
smooth  neck  while  he  drank.  But  Pacer 
was  tired  of  confinement  and  eager  for  a 
race.  He  shook  his  head,  impatient  of  re- 
straint; and  lifting  his  plumy  tail  like  a 
challenging  signal,  he  started  off  smartly 
for  the  woods. 


THE    DEEE   HUNT.  69 

"  No  yer  doan,  Mars  Pacer.  Jes'  yo'  tote 
yo'self  back  to  de  ba'n." 

The  little  darky  had  kept  his  hold  of  the 
mane  ;  and  now,  with  amazing  agility,  he 
managed  to  swing  himself  up  on  the  broad 
back  of  the  horse. 

"  Now,  whoa,  sah,  whoa  —  whoop  !  Go 
long  back  to  de  ba'n,  lak  I  tole  yo'."  He 
tugged  at  the  mane  and  pounded  Pacer's 
hard  sides  with  his  bare  heels. 

The  horse  hesitated  a  moment,  when  the 
light  weight  rested  on  his  back,  then  with  a 
snort  of  disappointment,  wheeled  about  and 
galloped  straight  back  to  the  barn  and 
entered  his  stall. 

"  You  's  got  right  good  sense,  Mars  Pacer  ; 
I's  mighty  obleeged  to  yo'  fo'  doin'  lak  I 
tole  you.  I  reckon  yo'-alls  ho'ses  ken  hab  a 
run  to-morrow  ebnin'." 

In  turn,  Nip  led  out  the  other  horses : 
Jinny,  the  pet  of  her  master  and  the  easiest 
saddle-horse  in  the  piney  woods ;  then  the 


70  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

race-horse,  who  had  been  left  with  a  limping 
gait  and  a  promise  of  the  record  of  an  il- 
lustrious pedigree  by  a  sharp  horse-dealer  ; 
and  finally  old  yellow  Nag,  the  patient  family 
horse  of  all  work,  —  the  only  horse  of  any 
account  on  the  place,  Mamma,  Grandma,  and 
Aunty  thought.  Each  horse,  as  it  left  the 
water-trough,  cast  a  longing  look  toward 
the  woods,  and  obeyed  reluctantly  when 
Nip's  guiding  hands  turned  it  back  to  the 
barn. 

"  I  knows  it  am  mighty  ha'd  on  yo' ;  but 
I  reckon  nobody  carn't  help  it.  Ole  Muley- 
Mule  jes'  hab  to  do  de  trottin'  fo'  yo'-alls," 
said  Nip,  sympathetically,  as  he  bolted  old 
Nag  into  her  stall. 

"Heah,  yo'  good-fo'-not'in'  Muley-Mule, 
what  fo'  yo'  lazin'  roun'  all  day  an'  night  ? 
Gee  up,  gee  up !  Hi !  hi !  hi !  "  He  threw 
up  his  hands  and  dashed  screaming  at  poor 
Muley-Mule,  who  was  nibbling  weakly  at 
the  bark  of  a  pine  stump. 


THE    DEER   HUNT.  71 

The  old  mule  looked  up  in  astonishment 
at  this  fierce  onset,  but  showed  no  disposition 
to  move  until  a  bristling  pine-burr  came 
whack  against  her  loosely  covered  ribs. 
At  this  insult  she  lifted  her  long  ears  defi- 
antly, and  threw  up  her  weak  old  legs  in  a 
manner  that  was  intended  to  be  very  threat- 
ening indeed,  but  which  was  only  ridiculously 
feeble  and  grotesque. 

"  Hi  !  hi  !  hi  !  "  screamed  Nip  again, 
pitching  another  relentless  burr. 

Thus  pricked  into  action,  Muley-Mule, 
with  an  angry  flirt  of  her  tasselled  tail,  and 
with  a  desperate  leap,  started  off  into  the 
pines  with  the  agility  of  a  colt,  as  if  to  show 
that  her  spirit  was  not  broken,  though  her 
ribs  were  so  prominent  and  her  legs  so 
stiff. 

Poor  Muley-Mule's  strength  of  limb  was 
not  equal  to  her  strength  of  will,  however ; 
her  energy  departed  as  suddenly  as  it  came. 
She  completed  a  short  circuit  at  a  slow  walk 


72  UNDER  THE   WATER-OAKS. 

and  dragged  herself  feebly  back  to  the 
trough  ;  for  there  was  one  thing  for  which 
Muley-Mule  might  be  grateful,  —  if  she  only 
had  thought  of  it,  —  and  that  was  the  abun- 
dant supply  of  water  with  which  she  might 
moisten  her  shrivelled  old  carcass  as  often 
as  she  chose. 

"  Dat  am  a  mighty  peart  showin'  up  fo' 
sech  an  ole  empty  critter  lak  yo'  is,"  com- 
mended Nip,  caressing  the  mule's  rough  hide 
with  a  stick.  "I's  gwine  ask  Brer  lemme 
gib  yo'  a  year  ob  co'n,  case  yo'  sech  a  fine 
race-ho'se." 

At  this  moment  Gene  came  running  out, 
subdued  and  kind  from  his  grief  over  his 
shameful  treatment  of  Flo  ;  and  feeling  anx- 
ious to  make  amends  for  his  cruelty,  he 
declared  that  poor  old  Muley-Mule  must 
have  some  oats.  He  brought  a  heaping 
measure  from  the  bin  and  emptied  it  into  a 
concave  piece  of  bark  that  lay  conveniently 
at  hand. 


THE    DEER   HUNT.  73 

"  Yo'  is  boun'  to  ask  a  blessin'  on  dat 
ar  suppa,  suah,"  exclaimed  Nip,  delightedly, 
squatting  on  the  ground  to  watch  the  as- 
tonished mule  enjoy  the  treat. 

Gene  hurried  into  the  barn  to  help  Brer, 
who  was  shelling  corn  with  all  his  might. 

"Are  you  going  out  after  supper?  "  Gene 
asked  rather  shamefacedly. 

"  If  Mamma  will  let  us." 

"  I  reckon  she  won't  let  me ;  but  there  's 
Nip.  He  might  go,  if  you  ask  Mamma ; 
't  won't  hurt  him,  and  —  and  he  could  take 
my  gun."  Gene  blushed  scarlet  as  he  made 
this  offer,  and  he  was  obliged  to  wink  his 
eyes  very  hard ;  for  it  was  a  sore  trial  to 
give  up  his  beloved  gun  and  let  the  boys  go 
off  for  that  deer  without  him.  Was  n't  it 
his  deer  ?  Had  n't  he  found  the  tracks  ? 

Brer  was  too  excited  to  notice  Gene's  de- 
pression. His  one  thought  was  to  shoot  that 
deer  and  have  a  treat  of  venison  for  his 
father  and  the  other  hunters  when  they 


74  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

should  return  empty-handed,  as  was  often 
the  case,  from  the  camp  hunt  to  which  they 
had  gone  a  week  ago.  The  horns  —  well, 
he  would  keep  those  himself,  since  it  would 
be  his  first  deer,  but  Aunty  should  have  the 
skin,  as  he  always  had  promised. 

"  No,"  he  said  in  the  low  tone  he  always 
used  when  excited,  "we  don't  want  your 
gun ;  Nip  '11  have  to  carry  the  light,  you 
know,  and  I  '11  follow  on  behind,  and  when  I 
see  the  critter's  eyes,  I'll  just  —  bang!" 
Brer  took  aim  and  fired  with  a  corn-cob  in  a 
most  expressive  manner,  and  gave  a  whoop 
of  triumph  and  glee  that  made  the  lump  in 
poor  Gene's  throat  swell  most  uncomfortably ; 
but  the  little  fellow  gulped  back  his  grief, 
for  he  knew  that  he  had  forfeited  all  right 
to  the  deer.  Brer's  success  would  be  as  great 
a  triumph  for  him.  as  if  he  should  kill  the 
deer  himself.  He  swelled  with  pride  as  he  im- 
agined Brer  exhibiting  a  pair  of  enormous 
buck-horns  to  the  astonished  hunters  upon 


THE   DEER   HUNT.  75 

their  return,  empty-handed,  of  course,  from 
the  grand  camp  hunt,  and  the  delicious  ven- 
ison that  would  be  served  to  them,  and  the 
praises  they  would  sound  until  Brer's  face 
would  be  all  aglow  with  shy  smiles  and 
blushes,  in  spite  of  his  efforts  to  seem  un- 
concerned and  to  pass  it  off  as  no  great 
feat.  "  Just  a  scared  deer  !  If  it  had  been 
a  bear,  now  !  "  Brer  would  say. 

Gene  could  fancy  just  how  it  would  be. 
He  entirely  forgot  his  own  disappointment 
and  fell  to  planning  and  anticipating  with 
as  much  eagerness  as  Brer. 

They  managed  to  finish  the  work  in  time 
to  fashion  a  rude  sort  of  lantern,  such  as 
they  had  heard  their  father  tell  of  using 
when  he  and  his  brothers  were  boys,  and  the 
piney  woods  abounded  in  sport,  —  in  the  days 
when  deer  were  so  plentiful  that  a  herd  of 
tame  deer  was  kept  around  the  house  for 
the  purpose  of  enticing  the  shy  wild  ones 
within  easy  range  of  the  concealed  hunters. 


76  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

But  those  good  times  when  game  came  oblig- 
ingly to  the  very  gate  of  the  house  were  long 
since  past.  A  deer-track  had  not  been  seen 
within  a  mile  of  the  water-oaks  for  years. 

When  the  supper-horn  summoned  them, 
the  boys  bore  the  lantern  to  the  house  and 
exhibited  it  with  much  pride  and  no  little 
anxiety  to  their  mother.  They  were  by  no 
means  sure  that  she  would  favor  Brer's  plan 
of  a  night  hunt. 

Mrs.  Lee  smiled  a  little  at  the  dark-lan- 
tern, which  was  simply  a  large  tin  can,  cut 
open  and  spread,  and  fastened  around  the 
top  of  a  small  pine-torch  in  such  a  way  as 
to  act  as  a  reflector.  She  became  serious  at 
once,  however,  when  Brer  divulged  his  pro- 
ject of  rousing  the  curiosity  of  the  deer  with 
the  light  and  enticing  it  within  the  rays  of 
the  flambeau  reflector. 

In  the  first  place,  she  was  very  incredulous 
about  there  being  a  deer  anywhere  around, 
especially  in  the  pasture ;  but  the  boys  were 


THE    DEER   HUNT.  77 

so  confident  of  the  tracks  which  they  had 
seen  that  she  passed  that  question  by. 

"  Well,  suppose  there  is  a  deer,  how  does 
Brer  propose  to  manage  both  gun  and  light  ? 
I  don't  like  to  think  of  him  wandering 
about  alone  out  there  in  the  dark  woods,  — 
not  that  there  is  anything  to  hurt  him,  but 
he  might  become  confused  and  wander  off." 

"  I  could  n't  get  lost  with  my  eyes  shut, 
Mamma  ;  I  '11  go  to  Cousin  Will's  any  time 
you  say,  with  a  bandage  over  my  eyes. 
Why,  I  'm  as  sure  of  my  bearings  at  night  as 
in  the  daytime.  Besides  —  "  and  here  he 
hesitated.  "  I  allowed  you  would  n't  mind 
letting  Nip  go  along  to  carry  the  light. 
He  could  rit  get  hurt  ;  and  you  know, 
Mamma,  you  could  n't  lose  him  if  you 
tried." 

"  I  'low  Nip  doan  know  'nough  to  lose 
hisself,"  here  softly  observed  the  little  darky, 
who  was  lying  in  the  dining-room  door- 
way patiently  waiting,  while  the  family  ate 


78  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

supper,  for  his  own  allowance,  which  was 
sure  to  be  choice  and  ample  ;  for  the  children 
vied  with  one  another  in  saving  delicate  tit- 
bits from  their  own  plates  for  their  cunning 
little  playfellow. 

"  I  reckon  dis  yer  know-nuffin'  liT  nigga 
doan  hab  no  mo'  sense  dan  to  mek  tracks 
straigh'  fo'  home,  lak  de  ole  pied  cat  dat 
jump  out  ob  de  bag  when  yo'  fader  done  tote 
'er  'long  to  drown  'er  in  deep  hole,"  con- 
cluded Nip,  voice  and  eyes  expressing  in- 
tense disgust  at  the  old  cat's  stupidity  in 
coming  home  when  such  pains  had  been 
taken  to  get  rid  of  her. 

"  Oh,  Mamma  knows  we  can't  get  lost. 
She  's  only  fooling.  Why,  I  've  been  out  to 
the  pasture  hundreds  of  times  after  dark  in 
cattle-time." 

"  But  you  had  Papa  !  "  argued  Neal,  with 
her  dark  eyes  wide  and  serious ;  for  her  lively 
imagination  always  pictured  the  dark  full  of 
all  sorts  of  dreadful  creatures. 


THE   DEER    HUNT.  79 

"  No,  he  never,"  contradicted  Gene.  "  lie 
does  n't  need  Papa  to  scare  off  the  bugaboos, 
like  you  do.  Neither  does  Joy ;  she  is  n't  a 
coward.  You  das  n't  go  out  to  the  orchard 
gate  alone,  I  bet." 

"  Yes,  I  dast  too,"  retorted  Neal,  defiantly, 
but  shrinking  from  her  chair  to  her  mother's 
side,  as  she  peered  out  over  her  shoulder  into 
the  night  that  had  settled  down  so  black 
that  even  the  trunks  of  the  water-oaks 
were  invisible. 

Mamma  pressed  her  fanciful  little  daugh- 
ter reassuringly  to  her ;  but  she  asked  with 
a  quizzical  smile,  as  she  looked  into  Neal's 
face,  "  How  would  it  do  for  Neal  to  carry 
the  torch  ?  She  has  n't  a  broken  nose  to  be 
careful  of." 

"  No,  but  she'd  break  it,  sure,  running  for 
her  life  if  once  she  saw  that  deer's  eyes 
staring  at  her  out  of  the  dark,"  cried  Brer, 
derisively.  "  I  'd  rather  have  nobody  than 
Sister.  She  'd  drop  that  torch  and  out  it 


80  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

just  the  very  second  when  I  'd  be  taking  aim. 
Oh,  you're  going  to  let  Nip  go,  I  know, 
Mamma ;  you  're  only  teasing.  Here,  you 
Nip,  just  you  bolt  that  supper  as  fast  as  ever 
you  can." 

Nip  seized  the  heaped  plate  that  Brer 
handed  down  to  him  and  fell  to  eating  with 
a  right  good-will. 

"  Save  room  for  the  venison,  you  'd  best, 
Nip,"  said  Gene,  who  was  trying  hard  not  to 
beg  that  he  might  go.  He  couldn't  help 
thinking  that  his  mother  might  give  her 
permission  at  the  last  minute. 

"  Nip  can  wear  my  Mardi-Gras  mask ;  then 
I  reckon  he  could  n't  hurt  his  nose,"  whis- 
pered Neal,  in  her  mother's  ear.  She  knew 
very  well  that  her  mother  never  meant  to  have 
her  go ;  and  yet  she  was  frightened  by  the 
very  suggestion,  and  she  was  eager  to  do  all 
in  her  power  to  secure  to  Nip  the  pleasure 
that  she  did  not  crave.  After  a  while  she 
meant  to  find  out  why  Gene  was  so  strangely 


THE   DEEK   HUNT.  81 

left  out  of  the  plans.  Already  her  active 
mind  had  half  guessed  the  trouble  with  Flo ; 
for  she  had  a  way  of  putting  this  and  that 
together  when  her  curiosity  demanded  in- 
formation. 

Joy's  eyes  were  more  snapping  and 
straightforward ;  but  they  did  not  see  as 
keenly  into  things  as  Neal's  soft,  dreamy 
orbs. 

"  What  you  going  to  do,  Gene  ? "  she 
asked,  leaning  over  in  her  high-chair  to  pat 
the  cheek  of  her  favorite  brother,  who  sat 
so  silently  beside  her. 

"  Stay  at  home,"  he  tried  to  answer  indif- 
ferently ;  but  as  four  pairs  of  brown  eyes 
were  turned  upon  him  compassionately,  his 
blue  eyes  suddenly  swam  in  tears. 

Joy's  eyes  filled  in  instant  sympathy ;  and 
she  looked  anxiously  at  her  mother  when 
Neal  asked,  "  Why  don't  Gene  go,  Mamma.?  " 

"  Gene  is  going  to  stay  with  you  and  me 
and  —  with  Flo,"  answered  Mrs.  Lee. 


82  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

"  /  know,"  said  Neal.  "  He  done  had  a 
tantrum  this  evening ;  and  that 's  what 
ails  Flo." 

"  You  think  you  know  a  heap"  cried  poor 
Gene. 

"  I  reckon  he  could  n't  help  it,  Mamma," 
pleaded  Joy,  with  trembling  lip. 

"  He  'd  better  learn  to  help  it,  and  that 
right  soon.  He  's  getting  dangerous,"  ex- 
claimed Brer. 

"  I  reckon  temper  goes  with  white  eyes  ; 
that 's  why  he  's  so  awfully  touchy.  Don't 
you,  Mamma  ?  "  asked  Neal,  speculatively. 

"  As  if  eyes  had  anything  to  do  with 
temper  !  "  chuckled  Brer.  "  Oh,  come  along, 
Nip.  You  won't  be  able  to  budge  if  you 
down  all  that  hominy." 

"  I  'low  yo'  maw  done  forgit  fo'  to  say  yes," 
loudly  whispered  Nip  behind  his  hand. 

"  Mamma    dear,    you    said    yes,    did  n't 

you?" 

"  No,  my  son,  but  I  will  say  it  now.     You 


THE   DEER   HUNT.  83 

and  Nip  may  go,  if  you  will  be  very  prudent, 
and  will  promise  not  to  be  out  longer  than 
an  hour  and  a  half,  and  to  come  straight 
home  if  I  wind  the  horn  earlier." 

"  I  always  come ;  anyway,  we  won't  be 
long.  You-all  just  listen  for  the  gun,  and 
then  watch  out  to  see  some  fine  venison. 
How  in  the  world  are  we  going  to  bring  the 
critter  home  when  we  've  got  him  ?  Never 
mind,  we  're  bound  to  manage  it." 

Having  made  full  preparations,  Brer  and 
Nip  started  forth  on  the  deer  hunt.  They 
entered  the  pasture  and  cautiously  made 
their  way  across  it  toward  the  ford  of 
Sweet-Water  Creek,  where,  they  concluded, 
the  deer  would  be. 

Nip  marched  on  before,  steadily  bearing 
above  his  head  the  shielded  torch,  the  light 
of  which  cast  a  bright  narrow  path  on  the 
pine-straw  before  them.  His  own  erect  little 
figure  was  well  shadowed  by  the  cunning 
contrivance  of  the  can ;  and  Brer,  following  a 


84  UNDEK   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

few  paces  behind,  was  also  invisible  in  its 
shadow.  The  dark-lantern  worked  like  a 
charm,  throwing  all  light  before,  and  leav- 
ing everything  out  of  range  of  its  eye  in 
total  obscurity. 

The  yellow  light  glanced  from  one  scaly 
pine  stem  to  another  and  sometimes  flickered 
among  the  mysteriously  whispering  pine- 
tops. 

"  Watch  out  sharp,  now !  Don't  you  dare 
to  wink!  I  would  n't  lose  that  deer  for  — 
Gee  !  I  thought  that  was  it,  sure.  Go 
on." 

Brer  gave  his  commands  in  an  intense 
whisper;  for  the  most  part,  however,  he 
remained  quiet,  allowing  Nip  to  follow  his 
own  will,  for  he  had  almost  as  much  faith 
in  the  little  darky's  instinct  as  he  had  in 
Flo's.  He  was  all  aglow  with  excitement ; 
his  right  hand  trembled  as  it  clutched  his 
rifle  ;  every  sense  was  strained  and  alert.  He 
started  at  the  sound  of  a  crackling  twig  and 


THE    DEER   HUNT.  85 

at  the  dropping  of  an  invisible  pine-burr ; 
while  every  shadow  that  stirred  in  the  bright 
path  of  their  torch  seemed  the  fleeting  form 
of  a  deer.  Once  Nip  stubbed  his  toe  and 
stumbled  a  little.  In  an  instant  Brer's  gun 
was  at  his  shoulder;  he  lowered  it  with  a 
long  quivering  breath.  "  I  declare,  I  like  to 
have  shot  you  for  the  deer  !  "  he  gasped. 

"  I  'low  yo'-alls  doan  wan'  waste  yo' 
shot,"  Nip  whispered  back  over  his  shoul- 
der. He  had  been  moving  steadily  ahead 
without  making  any  response  to  Brer's  ex- 
clamation ;  but  not  a  sound  nor  a  sight  had 
escaped  his  keen  attention.  At  last,  however, 
he  paused  with  lifted  hand,  and  listened 
intently. 

"  Somet'ing,  suah,"  he  breathed,  conceal- 
ing himself  behind  a  pine-tree  and  letting 
the  light  fall  upon  the  path  that  here  de- 
scended to  Sweet- Water  Branch. 

Brer  drew  back  into  the  darkness  and 
waited  with  baited  breath.  His  hand  was 


86  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

quite  steady  now  :  all  danger  of  an  attack  of 
the  buck-ague,  that  is  apt  to  set  young  hunt- 
ers a-shivering,  was  over.  He  heard  the  ap- 
proaching tread  of  hoofs ;  the  animal  came 
near,  hesitated,  advanced  a  few  paces.  They 
could  hear  its  irregular  breathing  and  its 
curious  sniffing,  as  it  tried  to  make  out  the 
nature  of  the  unnatural  light  before  ven- 
turing nearer.  It  was  terribly  exciting  to 
feel  the  game  so  near  and  yet  be  unable  to 
catch  the  faintest  glimpse  of  it ;  but  Nip 
held  the  torch  without  a  quiver  of  his  arm, 
and  Brer  kept  himself  well  in  check  without 
moving  a  muscle.  How  he  longed,  though, 
to  bang  straightway  at  that  breathing,  invis- 
ible creature  in  the  darkness  !  What  if  that 
deer  should  take  to  its  heels,  and  he  should 
lose  his  game  from  under  his  very  hand  ! 
In  another  instant  his  self-control  would 
have  failed  him,  and  he  would  have  fired 
blindly  into  the  dark  ;  but  the  animal  moved, 
advanced  slowly,  its  two  eyes  caught  the 


"I  'low,   Brer,  how  we-alls  done  kill  Neal's  heifer."  —  Page  87. 


THE    DEER   HUNT.  87 

light  of  the  torch,  and  glowed  like  two 
burning  coals  in  the  blackness. 

Brer  -touched  the  trigger ;  the  deed  was 
done ;  the  sharp  report  of  the  gun,  a  heavy 
fall,  and  a  long  deep  sigh. 

Nip  gave  a  yell  and  sprang  forward ;  Brer 
followed  with  a  proud  sense  of  triumph  that 
was  almost  suffocating. 

"  A  sure  dead  deer,  Nip  ?  "  he  asked,  try- 
ing to  speak  coolly. 

Nip  made  no  reply  ;  but  there  in  the  light 
of  the  torch  lay  the  poor  thing,  quite  mo- 
tionless ;  but  —  Brer  gasped  and  stared  at 
Nip  in  utter  bewilderment. 

Nip  returned  his  gaze  for  a  moment,  and 
then  looked  back  at  the  prone  form  at  their 
feet. 

"  I  'low,  Brer,  how  we-alls  done  kill  Neal's 
heifer." 


88  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 


CHAPTER   III. 

NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY. 

IT  was  some  time  before  Brer  could  real- 
ize the  enormous  blunder  that  he  had  made. 
He  seized  the  torch  from  Nip's  hand, 
dropped  to  his  knees,  and  gazed  at  the 
pretty  little  heifer  as  if  he  could  not  and 
would  not  believe  his  eyes.  He  felt  the  silky 
ears  with  his  fingers ;  he  took  hold  of  the 
graceful  horns  and  even  shook  them  a  little, 
as  if  to  test  whether  they  really  were  the 
ones  that  he  had  seen  bud  and  grow  on 
Lodi's  gentle  head.  He  passed  his  hand 
over  her  smooth  brown  coat,  and  finally  he 
examined  the  hoofs;  there  indeed  was  the 
white  left  hind-foot,  Lodi's  mark. 

When  at  last  the  awful  truth  forced 
itself  upon  him,  that  he  had  killed  Neal's 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  89 

heifer,  he  staggered  to  his  feet  and  stared  in 
a  dazed  way  into  the  dark  woods ;  but  after 
this  moment  of  uncertainty  he  recovered 
himself  with  a  start. 

"  Come  on,  Nip,  let 's  go  to  Mamma,"  he 
faltered  ;  and  turning  abruptly,  he  marched 
straight  back  to  the  Water-Oaks,  Nip  trot- 
ting silently  behind  him. 

Gene  was  waiting  in  breathless  impa- 
tience at  the  back  gate,  but  Brer  pushed  by 
him  without  a  word.  Neal  and  Joy  began 
to  scream  at  him  before  he  was  halfway 
across  the  yard,  but  he  paid  not  the  least  at- 
tention to  them,  nor  did  he  notice  the  pack 
of  dogs  that  sprang  fawningly  around  him ; 
he  marched  straight  up  the  gallery  steps  and 
crossed  directly  to  the-  door  of  the  room 
through  which  was  pouring  a  brilliant  flood 
of  light. 

"Mamma,  I  done  shot  Neal's  heifer;  she 
can  have  Beauty  instead."  He  was  going 
on  manfully  to  explain ;  but  he  suddenly  be- 


90  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

came  aware  that  his  father  and  the  other 
hunters  were  sitting  before  the  fire,  and  that 
all  eyes  were  turned  upon  him.  He  whirled 
about  and  darted  for  refuge  to  the  Owlets' 
Roost.  There  he  threw  himself  upon  the 
bed  in  the  dark,  burying  his  burning  face  in 
the  pillow ;  and  though  he  was  "past  crying," 
two  or  three  tears  would  force  their  way  be- 
tween his  closed  eyelids,  as  they  had  suffi- 
cient excuse  for  doing  in  such  distressing 
circumstances. 

What  could  have  occurred  more  mortify- 
ing to  such  a  proud-spirited  boy  as  Brer? 
After  all  his  vain  boastings,  to  make  such  a 
mistake  as  to  take  a  heifer  for  a  deer, — 
Lodi,  at  that !  How  ashamed  he  was  !  He 
could  n't  bear  to  think.  He  jumped  up  an- 
grily and  turned  a  dozen  savage  summer- 
saults to  divert  his  mind.  Then,  with  fierce 
determination,  he  began  to  practise  walking 
around  the  room  on  his  hands.  Again  and 
again  he  came  whacking  down  on  the  hard 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  91 

pine  floor ;  but  he  would  not  give  up  before 
he  was  able  to  make  the  circuit  of  the  room 
without  a  fall. 

By  that  time  he  was  so  knocked  up  that 
he  was  glad  to  undress  and  crawl  into  bed 
(the  boys  and  Nip  were  the  owlets  that  oc- 
cupied the  roost  when  there  was  no  teacher 
to  hold  possession  of  the  little  house).  To 
engage  his  thoughts  and  keep  his  attention 
from  the  commotion  in  the  yard,  he  tried  to 
think  over  some  old  lessons,  and  say  some 
poetry  that  he  had  learned  for  his  teachers ; 
but  he  knew  them  so  well  that  he  could  re- 
peat them  without  thinking.  The  sounds  in 
the  yard  he  could  not  help  listening  to,  and 
he  could  tell  from  them  exactly  what  was 
going  on  out  there. 

"  Quit  your  listening,  you  goose  !  "  he  com- 
manded himself;  but  he  found  that  he  was 
not  so  subject  to  his  own  orders  as  were 
Gene  and  Nip. 

Finally   he   heard    the   smokehouse   door 


92  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

close  with  a  bang,  and  then  the  hunters 
laughing  as  they  noisily  mounted  the  gallery 
steps  and  entered  the  house;  and  presently 
Gene  and  Nip  came  stealing  quietly  into  the 
roost. 

"  I  '11  let  them  think  I  'm  asleep,"  thought 
Brer;  but  he  was  too  feverish  and  curious  to 
keep  quiet.  He  pulled  himself  up  in  bed, 
and  sat  upright  in  the  dim  light  that  was 
filling  the  room  from  the  moon  which  was 
just  rising  in  full  splendor  behind  the  pines. 

"  They  've  done  skinned  it  and  dressed  it, 
and  Papa  said  the  meat 's  bound  to  be 
fine,"  burst  forth  Gene,  as  soon  as  he  saw 
that  his  brother  was  awake. 

"  Neal  'low  how  she  gwine  like  beef  betta 
dan  ven'son,"  said  Nip,  consolingly,  as  he 
tumbled  down  on  his  low  pallet. 

"Yes,  Neal  she  had  to  bawl  some,  of 
course,"  went  on  Gene,  loftily,  as  if  he  had 
a  right  to  scorn  such  babyishness ;  "  but  she 
quit  when  Mamma  said  you  'd  offered  to  give 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  93 

her  Beauty,  and  bimeby  when  Papa  asked 
her,  she  said  she  'd  rather  have  the  next 
Nanny  he  found  than  Beauty,  'cause  nobody 
could  mistake  a  Nanny  for  a  deer." 

"  Did  you  tell  them  about  the  tracks  ? " 
asked  Brer. 

"  You  bet  I  did  !  and  they  just  laughed. 
As  if  we  don't  know  a  deer's  track  when 
we  see  it !  I  'd  just  like  to  show  them ! " 
Gene  had  forgotten  all  about  his  own 
woful  experience  under  the  new  excitement. 
"  Cousin  Will  said  it  was  a  lucky  hit  for 
them.  He  thinks  there  's  no  venison  going 
like  tender  beef  ;  and  he  'lowed  the  hunters 
going  to  camp  down  here  and  get  fed  up. 
They  're  just  starved ;  they  ate  the  safe 
empty,  —  every  last  cold  potato  and  all !  " 

"Didn't  they  kill  a  thing?" 

"  Just  one  wild-cat.  They  got  on  the  trail 
of  a  bear  too, — the  biggest  fellow,  that's 
just  been  a-feasting  off  lambs  and  honey. 
Uncle  Jim 's  all  tore  to  pieces  a-chasing  it 


94  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

through  the  swamp ;  but  they  could  n't  get 
a  shot.  They  're  going  again  pretty  soon, 
though." 

Gene  made  a  run  and  a  spring  over  Brer 
to  his  own  side  of  the  bed. 

"  Say,  Brer,  would  n't  it  be  a  lark  if  we 
should  kill  a  bear?"  he  exclaimed,  as  he 
fitted  himself  comfortably  into  his  own  par- 
ticular hollow. 

"  I  reckon  a  bar'  boun'  git  in  de  pasture 
bimeby,"  murmured  Nip,  sleepily,  from  his 
corner. 

Neither  of  the  boys  had  a  word  to  say  in 
response  to  this  happy  suggestion.  Profound 
silence  settled  down  over  the  Owlets'  Roost ; 
but  it  did  not  last  long,  for  presently  it  was 
disturbed  by  the  soft  regular  breathing  of 
Gene,  who  had  slipped  wearily  into  dream- 
land. Soon  .Brer  and  Nip  followed  him  ;  and 
three  loud  distinct  snores  resounded  through 
the  moon-lit  room. 

Brer  awoke  with  a  start  the  next  morn- 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  95 

ing.  He  thought  that  some  one  had  called 
him.  The  first  thing  that  he  saw  was  Nip 
perched  on  the  footboard  of  the  bed,  flapping 
his  arms  in  the  very  act  of  echoing  the  old 
rooster's  "  screech  of  dawn." 

"  Mo'nin',  Brer,"  he  said  in  polite  saluta- 
tion, when  he  saw  that  Brer  was  doing  his 
best  to  open  his  eyes.  "  Tears  lak  yo'  doan 
wan'  de  ole  sun  to  show  hisself  so  yerly. 
But  yonda  he  comes,  climbin'  up  de  pines 
lak  he  gwine  bide  all  day." 

"Who  called  me,  Nip?" 

"  I  doan  yere  nobody  callin'  yo' ;  I  jes'  yere 
yo'  pa  argafyin'  wiv  ole  Pacer  in  de  ba'n." 

"  Is  Papa  up  ?  "  Brer  sprang  up  with  a 
bound  that  shook  Gene  out  of  his  morning 
nap. 

His  bright  eyes  were  open  wide  on  the 
instant ;  and  he  tumbled  briskly  out  of  bed. 

"  My  !  it 's  cold,"  he  cried,  shrinking  up 
and  shivering. 

"  It  is  that ! "  agreed  Brer,  hurrying  into 


96  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

his  clothing.    "  My  things  are  right  wet  with 

o  »/ 

the  fog.  Just  see  it  pouring  in  at  that  win- 
dow, will  you  ?  " 

"  It 's  gwine  hunt  itself  togeder  an*  fly 
back  yonda,"  observed  Nip,  pointing  to  the 
sky,  "ef  de  ole  sun  doan  bu'n  it  up." 

"  I  should  n't  mind  floating  up  on  a  cloud 
some  day,"  exclaimed  Gene,  enthusiastically, 
looking  out  at  the  mist  that  already  was 
gathering  and  rising  over  the  patches.  "  I  'd 
take  my  gun,  and  I  'd  just  go  a-sailing  over 
the  pines;  and  I'd  peek  down,  and  when  I 
saw  a  herd  of  deer  browsing  away,  —  boom ! 
boom ! — there  would  be  two  dead  deer,  sure  ! 
I  say,  though,  we  're  going  to  have  venison 
for  break —  Oh  no,  I  forgot ;  "  and  Gene  re- 
lapsed into  gloomy  silence,  for  he  suddenly 
remembered. 

From  the  moment  when  he  had  opened 
his  eyes,  Brer  had  been  oppressed  by  a 
strange  feeling  that  something  was  wrong; 
but  there  had  not  been  time  for  him  to  de- 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  97 

cide  what  was  the  matter  when  Gene's  words 
brought  back  with  painful  reality  the  mis- 
haps of  the  day  before. 

For  one  instant  the  thought  occurred  to 
him  that  he  might  "  take  to  the  woods " 
until  the  hunters  had  left  the  Water-Oaks ; 
but  he  was  no  coward,  and  he  dismissed  the 
idea  of  running  away  with  scorn. 

"Anyway,"  he  thought,  "it  was  n't  any- 
thing ivrong ;  and  I  bet  any  one  would  have 
done  just  as  I  did.  It  makes  a  fellow  feel 
cheap,  though  ;  and  I  'm  mighty  sorry  it  was 
Lodi,  but  I  did  n't  go  for  to  do  it,  and  I  ain't 
going  to  skulk." 

He  ran  bravely  out  to  his  father,  who  was 
feeding  the  horses  in  the  barn. 

"  Well,  son,"  was  Mr.  Lee's  greeting,  "  you 
got  badly  fooled  yesterday.  I  reckon  you'd 
give  a  picayune  if  you  could  take  back  that 
shot." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  'd  give  a  heap  of  picayunes. 
I  'm  right  sorry  about  Lodi." 


98  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  So  am  I.  She  was  bound  to  make  a 
fine  cow.  But  what 's  done  can't  be  un- 
done ;  and  she  '11  make  fine  beef.  I  reckon 
you  can  manage  to  make  things  square  with 
your  sister." 

"  I  said  I  'd  give  her  Beauty ;  she 's  a  sight 
prettier  than  Lodi." 

"  Well,  settle  it  between  yourselves." 

Brer  went  about  his  work,  much  cheered 
by  his  father's  kindness. 

His  courage  received  another  boost  when 
Neal  came  skipping  out  to  the  old  well 
where  he  was  filling  the  horse-trough,  and 
assured  him  in  the  most  sisterly  fashion 
that  she  didn't  mind  one  bit;  she  knew 
he  did  n't  "  go  for  to  do  it."  She  was  n't 
going  to  take  Beauty  either.  Papa  had 
said  she  might  have  another  Nanny;  and 
she  thought  lambs  were  a  heap  nicer  than 
cows,  and  she  just  loved  beef.  She  wished 
breakfast  was  ready. 

It  seems  rather  savage  in  Neal  to  be  so 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  99 

ravenous  to  devour  her  beloved  heifer;  but 
the  children  under  the  water-oaks  were  quite 
accustomed  to  seeing  their  pets  go  into  the 
pot,  from  the  Nannies  that  they  raised  on 
the  bottle  to  the  wee-wees  that  they  took 
under  their  own  wings,  when  the  hen- 
mothers  refused  to  care  for  their  broods. 
Indeed,  it  was  quite  understood  by  Neal  and 
Joy  that  in  due  time  their  dear  hen  Su- 
sanna would  be  cooped  and  fattened,  and 
served  in  a  delicious  pot-pie ;  and  though 
they  loved  Susy  with  all  their  hearts,  the 
thought  of  her  tragic  fate  never  saddened 
them  in  the  least,  nor  would  they  relish  her 
drum-sticks  any  the  less  for  having  loved 
her  so  dearly. 

When  the  breakfast  gong  sounded,  Brer 
was  quite  braced  up,  so  that  he  could  take 
the  chaff  of  the  hunters  in  the  frank,  good- 
natured  fashion  that  they  liked  ;  but  though 
he  tried  not  to  show  his  feelings,  they  did 
manage  to  tease  him  considerably. 


100  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

"  Here  you  are,  Brer !  Come  around  and 
shake,  can't  you?  You  show  right  good 
sense  when  you  let  deer  slip  and  bring  in 
beef,"  cried  Cousin  Will. 

"  You  bet  he  knows  what 's  what,"  echoed 
Uncle  Jim.  "I  had  a  presentiment  that 
you  'd  have  something  good  to  fill  us  with 
when  we  got  back,  Brer." 

"  We  let  the  deer  slip  too,"  cried  Cousin 
Ross.  "  We  were  mighty  nigh  as  empty  as 
barrels,  but  we  had  no  use  for  venison.  Be- 
sides, we  had  no  time  to  fool  with  such  small 
game.  We  were  after  bear  steak." 

"  Since  we  missed  that,  I  'm  willing  to 
take  what  I  can  get.  Give  me  another  piece 
of  that  beef,  if  you  please,  Bud  ;  it's  mighty 
good." 

"  Where  'd  you  learn  to  hunt  deer  anyway, 
Brer  ?  I  'd  like  to  take  lessons." 

"  'T  is  n't  every  one  who  would  have  pluck 
to  fire  at  two  eyes  in  the  dark.  Might 
think  it  was  a  ha'nt,  you  know." 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  101 

"That's  so.  We  old  fellows  might  have 
been  fools  enough  to  wait  and  find  out  what 
the  critter  was,  and  would  n't  have  a  thing 
to  show  for  our  pains. " 

"You  going  to  give  the  antlers  to  your 
sweetheart,  sonny  ?  What  will  you  take  for 
the  hide?" 

Brer  had  his  reward  for  keeping  his  tem- 
per through  all  this  chaffing  nonsense. 

"  Brer  's  bound  to  go  along  when  we  go 
for  that  bear/'  said  Cousin  Will,  as  they 
pushed  back  their  chairs  from  the  table ; 
"  we  can't  spare  such  a  fine  hunter  as  he  is." 

"  I  reckon  he  might  go  along  if  his 
mother  is  willing,"  said  Mr.  Lee,  smiling 
down  into  his  son's  eager  face. 

No  one  proposed  that  they  should  take 
Gene  along.  Usually  everything  was  for 
"  Brer  and  Gene;"  but  this  time  Gene's  name 
was  not  so  much  as  mentioned.  It  was  almost 
enough  to  make  him  wish  that  he  had  been 
the  one  to  blunder  into  shooting  Lodi,  since 


102  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

everybody  made  sucli  a  joke  of  it,  and  Brer 
was  going  to  get  such  a  treat  for  it.  And 
so  it  might  have  been  himself,  instead  of  his 
brer,  if  Flo  — 

Gene  caught  his  father's  stern  eye,  and  at 
once  the  tenor  of  his  thoughts  were  changed. 
He  realized  that  he  had  no  cause  to  com- 
plain, but  rather  reason  enough  to  be  thank- 
ful that  his  shameful  act  was  passed  over  in 
silence.  He  would  have  been  still  more 
thankful,  had  he  known  how  his  mother  had 
pleaded  with  his  father  the  night  before  to 
spare  him  the  severe  punishment  that  he 
deserved  for  his  cruel  deed. 

"  I  think  that  Flo's  suffering  and  his  own 
shame  will  be  sufficient  punishment,"  Mrs. 
Lee  had  said. 

"  Well,  I  '11  leave  him  to  you.  His  mother 
knows  how  to  manage  the  boy  better  than 
I  do,  I  reckon.  I  certainly  should  make 
him  smart  for  such  meanness ;  but  try  your 
own  way,"  Mr.  Lee  had  finally  conceded. 


NEAL  S    NEW   NANNY.  10o 

The  hunters  did  not  carry  out  their  threat 
to  settle  down  under  the  water-oaks  until 
Lodi's  fresh  meat  was  consumed ;  but  they 
lingered  about  the  fireplace  in  the  room, 
smoking  their  pipes,  and  telling  over  for  the 
hundredth  time  the  larks  of  their  boyhood 
and  the  adventures  during  war  times,  to 
which  exciting  tales  Brer  and  Gene  never 
tired  of  listening.  Neal,  however,  was  all 
out  of  patience  with  them. 

"Those  old  stories!  "  she  exclaimed  in  dis- 
gust. "  I  should  think  they  would  wear  out 
sometime.  I  've  heard  them  so  many  times, 
I  get  them  all  mixed,  so  I  don't  know 
whether  it  was  Cousin  Will  that  chased  a 
wild-cat  without  a  gun,  or  Cousin  Morris;  and 
I'm  sure  I  don't  know  which  one  it  was  that 
the  Yankees  did  n't  shoot,  or  the  one  that 
did  n't  kill  the  Yankees.  I  wish  they  'd  hush 
and  go  home,  so  that  Papa  could  find  me 
another  Nanny,  like  he  promised." 

"  Perhaps  he  would  n't  fincl   a  Nanny  if 


104  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

he  went,"  suggested  Joy,  as  the  only  conso- 
lation that  she  could  offer. 

Neal  truly  had  a  trial  of  patience  that 
day ;  for  the  sun  had  descended  halfway  to 
the  western  pine-tops  before  the  hunters 
mounted  their  horses  and  rode  off  into  the 
piney  woods,  shouting  out  promises,  as  they 
went,  to  return  soon  for  the  bear  hunt. 

"  Of  course  Papa  can  't  go  now ;  it 's  so 
late,"  pouted  Neal,  "  and  all  the  stray  lambs 
will  be  eaten  up  by  the  wild-cats  and  the 
bears !  " 

"  You  'd  better  take  care  of  the  Nanny 
you  've  got,  instead  of  crying  for  another," 
suggested  Gene.  "I  reckon  she's  hungry 
enough  to  eat  the  wild-cats  and  bears,  from 
the  way  she  's  bleating." 

Neal  received  this  rebuke  glumly ;  but  she 
got  the  Nanny-bottle  of  milk  and  water,  and 
went  slowly  to  the  orchard  gate,  where  her 
lamb  had  been  standing  for  the  past  half- 
hour,  keeping  up  a  continuous  baa-baaing 
that  was  quite  distracting. 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  105 

"  Hush,  you  baby !  "  cried  Neal,  crossly, 
when  the  lamb  bounded  frantically  against 
her,  almost  upsetting  her  in  its  eagerness  to 
reach  the  bottle.  "  You  're  not  hungry.  If 
you  want  to  cry,  cry !  until  you  are  tired. 
You're  as  tight  as  a  barrel,"  poking  the 
woolly  sides ;  "  you  don't  know  when  you  've 
got  enough  !  You  behave  so,  I  have  a  mind 
not  to  give  you  a  bit.  Get  away  !  " 

She  held  the  bottle  high  over  her  head 
and  ran  lightly  around  the  orchard ;  but 
Nanny  bounded  close  to  her,  and  finally 
tripped  her  down. 

"  There,  take  it,  you  greedy  thing !  "  cried 
Neal,  holding  the  bottle  with  both  hands. 

When  it  was  half  emptied,  she  pulled  it 
sharply  away ;  and  jumping  to  her  feet  be- 
fore Nanny  had  time  to  recover  from  her 
surprise,  she  ran  nimbly  across  the  orchard 
and  slipped  through  the  gate,  slamming  it 
quickly  behind  her. 

"  No ;  you  sha'n't  have  another  bit !  "  she 


106  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

declared,  facing  about  and  addressing  the 
lamb,  who  was  attempting  to  squeeze  into 
the  crack  and  push  the  gate  open. 

"  If  you  'd  behave  decent,  and  not  butt  me 
round  so,  you  might  have  it  all ;  but  I  'm 
tired  of  being  knocked  about  by  such  a  great 
strong  thing  as  you,  that 's  big  enough,  and 
ought  to  have  sense  enough,  to  eat  grass. 
I  'm  going  to  hunt  a  little  Nanny  that 's 
sure-enough  hungry,  and  that  has  n't  learned 
such  rough  manners  as  you,  and  won't  push 
me  down." 

Having  declared  this  sudden  resolution, 
Neal  inarched  smartly  under  the  shade  of 
the  water-oaks  and  out  of  the  opposite  gate 
that  opened  on  the  road  leading  into  the 
piney  woods. 

Her  mother  saw  her  trudging  up  the  road 
with  the  bottle  clasped  close  to  her  breast. 

"  Neal 's  gone  to  hunt  a  new  Nanny,"  she 
said  with  a  smile. 

"  I  '11    trust    her    not   to  go   far.     She 's 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  107 

too  timid  to  venture  into  the  piney  woods 
alone.  There,  she  is  stopping  now,"  replied 
Mr.  Lee,  who  was  standing  on  the  gallery 
beside  his  wife's  chair. 

But  Neal  had  paused  only  for  a  moment, 
to  calculate  her  distance  from  home;  and 
seeing  the  Water-Oaks  still  quite  near,  she 
flitted  on  and  was  soon  hidden  by  the  buck- 
eye bushes. 

She  had  caught  the  faint  bleat  of  a  young 
lamb  just  over  the  little  knoll  before  her ; 
and  she  sprang  eagerly  forward,  hardly  heed- 
ing that  she  was  entering  the  woods.  What 
matter  if  she  were  ?  they  were  almost  as 
open  and  full  of  sunlight  as  the  clearing, 
and  the  Water-Oaks  were  right  behind. 

She  stopped  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  and 
looked  before  her  with  a  pleased  smile;  for 
there  was  the  prettiest  picture  in  the  world. 
A  flock  of  a  dozen  or  more  sheep  were 
browsing  through  the  sunny  glade  ;  while 
in  their  midst  a  number  of  young  lambs 


108  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

were  dancing  and  frolicking  in  the  liveliest 
fashion,  leaping  lightly  over  some  large  pine 
logs  that  had  been  dashed  down  in  a  heap 
by  the  wind,  or  prancing  along  the  length  of 
the  fallen  trunks  like  kittens. 

"  Oh,  you  pretty  Nannies !  What  fun !  " 
cried  Neal,  longing  to  join  in  their  sport,  and 
going  forward  slowly,  so  that  she  would 
not  startle  them.  But  as  soon  as  they  per- 
ceived her,  the  lambs  dashed  away  to  their 
mammies,  who  lifted  their  heads  and  stared 
wildly  at  Neal's  strange  little  figure ;  and 
then,  suddenly  wheeling  about,  they  made  a 
dash  over  the  opposite  knoll,  and  with  their 
lambs  close  at  their  heels,  they  disappeared 
from  sight. 

"  You  need  n't  be  scared  of  me.  I  ain't 
a  bear,"  cried  Neal,  huffily,  after  them.  But 
at  the  word  "  bear,"  she  bethought  herself, 
and  looked  anxiousty  around.  It  was  not  so 
light  down  there  in  the  hollow  as  it  was  on 
the  hill.  Night  was  coming  on.  She  reck- 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  109 

oned  that  she  had  better  go  back  and  give 
the  rest  of  the  milk  to  her  own  Nan.  She 
had  better  manners  than  these  wild  things, 
after  all.  Neal  had  run  but  a  few  steps, 
however,  when  she  heard  a  faint  pleading 
bleat  behind  her.  Looking  back,  she  spied  a 
Nanny  standing  on  the  very  spot  whence 
the  flock  of  sheep  had  disappeared. 

"  Ba-a,  ba-a !  "  it  called  plaintively. 

"  Ba-a !  "  answered  Neal,  instinctively. 
But  when  she  saw  the  little  creature  begin 
to  trot  eagerly  toward  her,  she  waved  her 
apron  and  cried,  "  Shoo,  shoo  !  Go  back  to 
your  mammy,  you  little  goose  !  "  for  she 
knew  that  she  would  be  very  severely  blamed 
by  her  father  if  she  enticed  a  lamb  from  the 
flock,  and  this  lamb's  mammy  doubtless  was 
with  the  other  sheep  in  the  next  hollow ;  so 
she  did  her  best  to  frighten  the  lamb  away, 
and  finally  she  turned  and  ran  as  fast  as  she 
could  toward  home.  But  the  Nanny,  having 
once  recognized  her  voice  as  its  mammy's, 


110  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

refused  to  give  her  up,  and  came  briskly 
leaping  along  behind  her. 

"  Go  back ! "  screamed  Neal,  stopping  at 
last  and  stamping  her  foot. 

The  lamb  stopped  too,  but  it  refused  to 
be  turned  back  by  her  frantic  efforts  to  wave 
it  off;  and  when  Neal  started  for  home 
again,  the  lamb  followed. 

"  I  reckon  I  'm  bound  to  take  you  back  to 
your  mammy  !  "  exclaimed  Neal,  in  despair. 
It  was  quite  shadowy  in  the  hollow  now,  but 
the  sun  still  lighted  up  the  woods  on  the  op- 
posite knoll  very  brightly.  It  would  take 
her  but  a  minute  to  run  across  and  get  rid 
of  the  Nanny,  and  then  she  could  fly  home 
in  no  time. 

"Come  on,  then,  you  ninny  !  "  she  called  ; 
making  a  circle  around  the  lamb,  she  ran 
down  the  slope  into  the  hollow  and  panted 
up  the  opposite  side,  the  lamb  whisking 
along  behind  her. 

Neal  slackened  her  speed  as  she  neared 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  Ill 

the  crest  of  the  hill,  not  only  because  she 
was  out  of  breath,  but  so  that  she  should  not 
frighten  off  the  flock  of  silly  sheep  again. 
But  where  were  they  ?  She  peered  down 
into  the  shadowy  glade  in  vain,  for  not  a 
woolly  coat  was  to  be  seen. 

"  I  reckon  I  scared  them  so  they  're  run- 
ning yet,"  thought  Neal,  laughing  at  the 
picture  of  the  frightened  sheep  scurrying 
through  the  piney  woods.  "  Well,  I  can't  help 
it,  even  if  they  run  clean  off  into  Grandma's 
Bay.  Come  on,  Nanny;  I  '11  give  you  some 
milk,  and  we  '11  go  home." 

But  as  Neal  advanced,  the  lamb  retreated. 
"  Come  here,  you  silly  thing  !  Ba-a,  ba-a ! 
Come  and  get  some  milk."  She  made  a 
dash  to  seize  it ;  but  in  sudden  fright  the 
larnb  gave  a  whisk  of  its  tail  and  bounded 
out  of  reach. 

"  Ba-a,  ba-a  !  "  coaxed  Neal,  advancing 
slowly  and  presenting  the  bottle.  But  the 
lamb  had  no  knowledge  of  a  bottle  nor  of 


112  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

its  use,  and  again  when  Neal  was  putting 
forth  her  hand  to  grasp  its  wool,  it  scam- 
pered away. 

"  You  have  n't  got  a  bit  of  sense,"  grumbled 
Neal,  scrambling  to  her  feet,  for  in  missing 
the  lamb,  she  had  fallen  prone  on  the  pine- 
straw.  She  made  an  angry  dash  at  the  lamb, 
who  scurried  away  as  if  it  were  beginning  to 
enjoy  the  sport,  bounding  over  pine  logs 
and  throwing  out  its  long  awkward,  rag- 
baby  legs  in  such  a  comical  way  as  finally  to 
overcome  Neal's  anger,  and  cause  her  to  sink, 
exhausted  and  laughing,  on  the  pine-straw; 
upon  which  the  lamb  wheeled  around  and 
gazed  at  her  in  innocent  wonderment. 

"I'm  laughing  at  you,  if  you  want  to 
know,"  explained  Neal,  becoming  serious. 
"  You  look  so  funny  and  act  so  foolish.  I 
never  saw  such  a  numskull.  I  've  got  a 
lamb  at  home  that  has  a  heap  more  sense 
than  you.  She's  fond  of  me,  and  knows 
what 's  good  too ;  she  just  comes  right  up  to 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  113 

me  and  takes  all  the  milk  I  '11  give  her.  I  'm 
going  right  straight  home  to  give  her  this, 
if  you  won't  take  it.  I  '11  try  you  just  this 
once.  Ba-a,  ba-a !  " 

Neal  baaed  in  perfect  mammy-like  tones, 
and  creeping  gently  forward,  held  out  the 
bottle  enticingly.  The  lamb,  without  a  sign 
of  fear,  let  her  come  within  a  hopeful  dis- 
tance ;  but  just  when  she  thought  she  surely 
should  capture  it,  it  had  skipped  over  a  log 
and  was  regarding  her  at  a  safe  distance. 

Neal  was  thoroughly  out  of  patience. 

"I'm  going  home, straight,"  she  informed 
the  lamb.  "  If  you  want  to  come,  why  come ; 
perhaps  Joy  will  have  you,  I  won't." 

She  faced  resolutely  toward  home  ;  but 
after  advancing  a  few  paces,  she  glanced 
back  over  her  shoulder  to  see  if  the  lamb 
were  following. 

No,  it  was  standing  exactly  where  she  had 
left  it,  and  was  not  even  watching  her. 
That  would  never  do.  She  could  not  leave 


114  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

that  poor  motherless  thing  out  in  the  woods 
alone  to  starve. 

"  If  you  don't  come,  a  bear  will  eat  you," 
she  cried,  stopping.  "  Ba-a,  ba-a,  ba-a !  " 

The  Nanny's  attention  was  called  back  to 
her  by  the  familiar  mammy  call ;  and  when 
she  moved  forward  again,  it  started  to  follow. 

"  That 's  right ;  hurry  up.  It 's  getting 
right  dark,"  said  Neal.  She  hastened  briskly 
onward,  keeping  up  the  "  ba-a,  ba-a/'  that  led 
the  Nanny  on. 

The  woods  were  quite  gloomy  by  this  time, 
for  the  sun  had  sunk  down  behind  the  trees. 
It  was  not  pleasant  at  all  to  be  out  there  in 
the  dusk.  She  was  not  lost,  —  her  face  was 
turned  directly  toward  home ;  but  she  had 
no  idea  that  she  had  run  so  far  in  her  wild 
chase  of  the  Nanny.  She  was  a  decided  lit- 
tle coward,  as  everybody  knew,  and  she  cast 
fearful  glances  about  as  she  hurried  along. 

Things  looked  so  strange  in  that  half-light. 
Was  that  a  man's  head  popping  up  from  be- 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  115 

hind  a  fallen  log  ?  She  knew  that  it  was 
only  a  burnt  stump,  but  she  could  not  help 
running  faster ;  but  she  stopped  abruptly,  for 
there,  directly  in  her  path,  sat  a  darky  with 
his  dog  on  a  log.  She  turned  cold  with  fear, 
and  a  great  lump  in  her  throat  seemed  to  be 
choking  her,  and  then  she  sprang  onward, 
trying  to  laugh.  The  darky  and  the  dog 
were  nothing  but  pine  boughs  and  their 
shadows.  They  were  only  unreal  people, 
such  as  she  always  fancied  when  she  was 
trying  to  go  to  sleep  in  the  dark.  Still  she 
could  not  help  seeing  them,  nor  being  fright- 
ened by  them,  and  trembling  all  over. 

That  certainly  was  a  man  with  a  knap- 
sack, tramping  through  the  hollow  before 
her !  There  were  two  people  watching 
him ! 

Nonsense !  they  were  only  shadows  and 
stumps,  she  knew.  She  shut  her  eyes  tightly 
a  moment ;  and  when  she  opened  them  again, 
the  queer  figures  were  gone.  But  yonder  was 


116  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

a  funny  lady  kneeling  beside  a  stump,  and  a 
preacher  standing  over  her.  Neal  wished 
devoutly  that  these  last  two  were  real  peo- 
ple ;  but  they  were  not  real,  they  were  only 
shadow  people,  like  the  others.  All  at  once 
they  disappeared.  At  the  same  moment 
Neal  herself  suddenly  slipped  out  of  sight. 
Where  was  she  ? 

Certainly  she  did  not  know,  for  she  did  not 
dare  to  lift  her  face  and  look  around  to  see. 
She  had  dropped  down  with  a  dreadful  jar 
into  somewhere,  and  she  was  lying  in  a  little 
heap,  too  stunned  and  frightened  to  want  to 
think  or  hear  or  see  or  anything. 

Suppose  it  was  the  "  jumping-off  place " 
that  she  had  heard  her  father  and  the  boys 
talk  about  so  much,  and  which  she  had 
missed  seeing  because  she  was  looking  back 
at  the  lady  and  the  preacher.  If  she  had 
jumped  off,  how  ever  was  she  to  get  home  ? 

"  Oh,  Mamma,  Mam-ma!"  she  screamed, 
terrified  at  the  thought  of  never,  never  go- 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  117 

ing  back  to  the  people  under  the  water-oaks. 
But  her  own  voice  frightened  her,  and  she 
shrank  into  silence,  shaking  with  the  sobs 
that  she  tried  to  stifle. 

«  Ba-a,  ba-a  !  " 

"  Why,  Nanny,  Nan,  Nan ! "  she  cried 
joyfully,  delighted  by  the  familiar  sound. 
She  raised  her  head  cautiously  and  peeped 
out  between  her  fingers ;  but  it  was  all  dark, 
and  she  quickly  buried  her  face  again,  for 
she  hated  the  dark. 

But  again  sounded  the  tremulous  "  Ba-a, 
ba-a ! "  followed  by  a  hurried  pattering  of 
feet  that  seemed  to  be  above  her  head. 

"  Ba-a,  ba-a  !  "  answered  Neal,  softly,  for 
a  Nanny  could  not  hurt  any  one. 

At  this  there  was  a  quick  clatter  of  feet,  and 
the  bleating  sounded  close  at  hand  and  di- 
rectly over  her  head.  She  started  to  her  feet 
and  looked  up.  There,  right  over  her,  was 
a  circular  opening,  through  which  she  could 
see  soft  fleecy  clouds  flushed  by  the  sun- 


118  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

set,  and  the  feathery  pine-tops  waving 
against  the  evening  sky.  She  gazed  up  in  a 
dazed  way  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  in 
an  instant  she  understood  all  about  it.  This 
was  a  sink-hole  into  which  she  had  fallen ; 
and  that  Nanny  tramping  about  overhead 
was  not  her  own  loving  Nan,  but  the  silly 
little  thing  that  had  been  following  her 
through  the  woods,  and  which  she  had  for- 
gotten all  about  in  her  haste  and  fright. 

She  knew  now  just  where  she  was  ;  it  was 
the  hide-and-seek  sink-hole.  Joy  and  she 
had  called  it  that  ever  since  one  day  of  last 
spring  when,  as  they  were  running  about 
picking  the  violets  that  blinked  mistily  up 
from  the  pine-straw  on  all  sides,  they  had 
come  unexpectedly  upon  this  hole,  and  spied 
a  cluster  of  sweet-marguerites  hidden  down 
there.  A  flood  of  light  was  pouring  through 
the  opening  directly  upon  the  flowers,  and 
showed  them,  standing  daintily  on  the  very 
edge  of  a  tiny  stream  that  dimpled  and 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  119 

sparkled  about  their  stems  for  a  moment 
and  then  went  singing  on  —  where  ? 

The  girls  stretched  themselves  at  full 
length  on  the  pine-straw,  and  hung  their 
heads  far  over  to  examine  the  home  of  the 
sweet-marguerites,  and  to  see  whence  the 
water  came  and  whither  it  went.  They  dis- 
covered that  they  were  lying  upon  a  thin 
crust  of  earth  that  covered  a  cavity  of  con- 
siderable depth  and  extent.  Its  sides  and 
ceiling  were  rough  and  unsightly  with  loose 
soil  and  bristling  roots.  On  opposite  sides 
were  the  mouths  of  dark  passages  as  high 
but  not  so  broad  as  the  marguerite-room ; 
through  these  the  water  flowed  in  a  shallow 
stream.  When  they  kept  perfectly  still,  the 
girls  could  hear  it  chattering  and  gurgling 
and  whispering  mysteriously  far  away  under 
the  dark  earth. 

This  was  one  of  the  many  underground 
streams  that  drain  the  hills  and  hollows  of 
the  piney  woods.  It  had  begun  its  course 


120  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

many  long  seasons  ago,  working  its  way  at 
first  slowly  and  laboriously  under  the  clayey 
surface,  root-bound  and  hard  baked  by  the 
hot  sun  and  the  hotter  forest  fires  that 
annually  swept  over  it.  Each  rainfall  that 
swelled  its  current  helped  to  wear  the  chan- 
nel deeper  and  broader,  until  now  it  could 
flow  freely  along  a  spacious  passage,  cool 
and  dark,  until  at  the  end  of  its  course  it 
burst  out  into  the  sunshine  and  mingled  with 
the  swift  current  of  Tyty  Creek. 

The  opening  through  which  the  girls 
looked  down  was  probably  made  by  the 
hoof  of  a  cow  or  of  some  other  heavy  ani- 
mal, and  had  slowly  enlarged  by  the  crum- 
bling of  the  soil  from  its  edge. 

<—•  <— > 

The  sweet-marguerites,  poised  lightly  over 
the  water  on  their  slender  stems,  lifted  their 
faces  fearlessly  to  the  children,  who  were 
shouting  with  delight  at  sight  of  the  deli- 
cate lavender  blooms,  and  reaching  out  long- 
ing hands  toward  them. 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  121 

But  the  marguerites  were  quite  safe  in 
their  underground  home,  for  the  little  grasp- 
ing fingers  fluttered  high  above  their  heads  ; 
so  they  smiled  sweetly  at  the  girls  until  Neal 
and  Joy  concluded,  very  wisely,  that  they 
looked  too  lovely  down  there  with  their 
shadows  fluttering  on  the  water  to  be  dis- 
turbed. It  would  be  a  shame  to  drag  them 
from  their  chosen  home ;  it  was  so  cunning 
of  the  flowers  to  hide  there. 

When  the  girls  had  named  it  the  "  hide- 
and-seek  hole,"  neither  of  them  had  thought 
of  it  as  being  a  desirable  hiding-place  for  any 
one  but  the  marguerites  and  the  happy  little 
streamlet ;  so  when  Neal  so  unexpectedly 
found  herself  down  there,  although  she  was 
greatly  relieved  to  know  that  she  had  not 
slipped  over  the  "jumping-off  place,"  and 
to  know  that  she  was  not  far  from  home, 
she  was  not  rejoiced  to  find  herself  in  the 
subterranean  home  of  the  marguerites. 

The  flowers  of  course  were  not  yet  up; 


122  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

and  fortunately  the  stream  ran  only  dur- 
ing wet  seasons,  so  now  its  bed  was  quite 
dry,  else  poor  Neal  would  have  been  far 
more  uncomfortable  than  she  was,  though 
it  would  have  been  difficult  to  make  her 
think  so. 

She  gave  a  wild  spring  and  tried  to  clutch 
the  edge  of  the  opening  with  her  hands  ;  but 
though  she  was  very  light  and  agile,  and  she 
jumped  with  all  her  might  until  she  was  out 
of  breath,  she  could  not  come  anywhere  near 
the  opening. 

"Ba-a,  ba-a !  "  she  called,  to  keep  the 
Nanny  from  straying  away. 

She  peered  about  in  the  vain  hope  of  find- 
ing something  on  which  to  climb  out.  She 
looked  up  and  down  the  deep  black  pas- 
sages and  shrank  fearfully  back  from  them. 
At  last  she  managed  to  pull  herself  up  the 
side  of  the  cavern,  by  means  of  the  tearing, 
scratching  roots,  to  the  roof,  where  she  hung 
as  long  as  her  fingers  would  hold,  while  she 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  123 

tried  to  force  her  way  out  through  the  hard 
crust  of  earth  and  the  network  of  roots,  but 
this  was  impossible,  and  she  dropped  down, 
bruised  and  weeping. 

The  rosy  flush  had  disappeared  from  the 
sky,  and  it  was  becoming  quite  dark  up  there 
in  the  piney  woods. 

"  Nanny,"  she  sobbed,  "  go  home  and  tell 
them  where  I  am." 

The  Nanny  did  not  respond  to  this  appeal, 
for  it  had  wandered  away,  and  she  could 
hear  its  plaintive  bleat,  now  here,  and  now 
there,  as  it  sought  its  lost  mammy. 

"  Ba-a-a,  ba-a-a ! "  called  Neal,  as  loudly  as 
she  could ;  and  then  she  sank  back  against 
the  side  of  the  sink-hole,  for  suppose  a  bear 
should  take  her  for  a  sheep. 

The  Nanny  had  heard  her  anyway,  for  she 
could  hear  it  coming  wearily  this  way,  call- 
ing plaintively. 

"  I  wish  we  were  together,"  moaned  Neal. 

The  lamb  paused  quite  close  to  the  hole. 


124  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Neal  could  just  see  its  head  turning  uneasily 
against  the  sky.  She  could  not  help  answer- 
ing the  lonely  little  creature. 

Hardly  had  she  done  so  when  there  was  a 
plunge  and  a  heavy  fall  almost  into  her 
lap. 

"  Nanny,  Nanny  !  "  she  cried,  folding  her 
arms  around  the  warm  woolly  little  body. 
"  Are  you  hurt  ?  Are  you  killed  ?  " 

The  Nanny's  frightened  struggles  assured 
her  that  it  was  uninjured.  She  groped 
around  in  the  dark  for  the  Nanny-bottle, 
and  after  some  struggles  she  managed  to  in- 
sert the  nipple  between  the  toothless  gums 
of  the  unwilling  lamb.  After  that,  there 
was  no  further  trouble ;  for  having  once 
tasted  the  milk,  the  Nanny  drank  it  hungrily, 
and  nestling  down  in  Neal's  arms,  the  weary 
little  creature  went  comfortably  to  sleep. 

Even  a  stupid  Nanny  is  a  great  comfort 
sometimes.  Neal  forgot  that  it  might  be  a 
bait  for  bears  and  wild-cats.  It  was  a  dear 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  125 

little  thing,  so  trusting  and  innocent  and 
warm.  Neal  curled  around  it ;  and,  to  keep 
herself  from  thinking  of  the  dark,  she  tried 
to  keep  time  with  the  breathing  of  the 
Nanny,  but  she  soon  forgot  to  do  that,  for 
she  too  dropped  off  to  sleep. 

She  slept  soundly  for  a  number  of  hours ; 
for  when  at  last  she  started  up  to  the  strange 
consciousness  that  she  was  making  the  worst 
possible  faces  at  somebody,  she  saw  the 
round  face  of  the  moon  looking  fully  down 
upon  her.  At  first  she  thought  it  a  part  of 
her  dream,  —  the  strange  opening  above  her 
and  the  pines  waving  up  there  in  the  moon- 
light ;  but  when  she  tried  to  clasp  Joy  and 
felt  the  Nanny  in  her  arms  instead,  she  was 
quite  wide  awake. 

It  was  very  comforting  to  see  the  moon, 
for  she  and  the  man  were  very  good  friends, 
and  had  exchanged  stares  many  a  time, 
though  they  never  had  spoken.  He  looked 
especially  rnild,  and  gazed  steadily  down  as  if 


126  UNDEK   THE    WATEK-OAKS. 

to  assure  her  that  he  understood  all  about  it 
and  had  come  to  keep  her  company ;  while 
the  large  star  close  beside  him  blinked  and 
winked  ceaselessly  in  the  most  knowing  and 
encouraging  manner. 

"  They  '11  be  around  soon,"  it  seemed  to 
say. 

"Yes,  morning  will  come  pretty  soon," 
Neal  winked  back  bravely.  It  never  occurred 
to  her  that  any  one  would  take  the  trouble  to 
come  out  into  the  woods  at  night  to  search 
for  her.  She  thought  of  everything  as  go- 
ing on  in  the  usual  way  at  the  Water-Oaks, 
as  if  her  absence  would  make  no  difference. 

"  I  wonder  who 's  sleeping  with  little  Joy," 
she  thought ;  and  she  hugged  the  Nanny 
closer  and  buried  her  quivering  face  in  its 
wool. 

She  wished  that  she  would  not  keep  think- 
ing of  those  ghostly  people  that  she  had  not 
seen  out  in  the  piney  woods,  and  expecting 
them  to  come  and  peer  down  at  her.  As  if 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  127 

piney-woods  ghosts  could  walk  or  see,  — 
especially  when  there  were  no  such  things  ! 

She  closed  her  eyes  tight  and  tried  to  go 
to  sleep,  so  that  morning  would  come  quickly; 
but  just  then  the  awful  thought  occurred  to 
her  that  a  snake  might  have  made  its  winter 
home  in  the  sink-hole. 

Her  hair  seemed  actually  to  be  lifting 
from  her  head,  she  was  so  frightened ;  and 
though  she  knew  there  was  no  one  to  hear 
her,  she  could  not  help  it,  but  gave  the  most 
dreadful  scream,  that  sounded  like  nothing 
she  had  ever  heard,  and  that  terrified  her 
even  more  than  the  thought  of  the  snake 
had  done. 

The  Nanny  was  frightened  too,  and  spring- 
ing up,  began  to  dash  blindly  against  the 
sides  of  the  sink-hole,  so  that  Neal  had  to 
forget  her  own  fears  in  trying  to  quiet  it. 
"  Why,  Nanny,  poor  thing,  I  did  n't  mean  to 
frighten  you.  Here,  Nanny,  Nanny,  come 
and  lie  down." 


128  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Suddenly  the  moonlight  disappeared  from 
the  hole,  and  they  were  in  utter  darkness. 

"  Hullo,  Nealie,  so  you  done  found  your 
Nanny,  did  you  ? "  spoke  a  familiar  voice 
with  a  decided  ring  of  joy  in  it. 

"  Oh,  Gene,  is  that  you ?  I'm  so  glad." 
Neal  gave  a  sob  of  relief.  "I  ain't  scared 
and  I  ain't  lost ;  but  I  just  fell  into  this  horrid 
hole,  and  Nanny  came  tumbling  after  me,  so 
I  could  n't  get  home." 

"  I  should  think  not ;  but  now  I've  found 
you,  you  're  all  right,"  he  said  protectingly. 
"  Come  on ;  I  '11  pull  you  out."  He  lay  flat 
on  the  ground  and  stretched  down  his 
arms;  Neal  hoisted  Nanny  up  just  as  far 
as  she  could,  but  with  all  his  straining  Gene 
could  not  quite  reach  her. 

"  Leave  her,  and  you  come ;  jump ! "  panted 
Gene.  "  I  '11  get  her  afterward." 

"  You  can't,"  objected  Neal. 

"  Yes,  I  can.     Come  on." 

Neal  tried  her  best  to  reach  those  grasp- 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  129 

ing  hands ;  but  she  could  not  even  touch  the 
tips  of  the  fingers.  She  sank  down  in 
despair. 

"  I  '11  wait  for  Papa,"  she  faltered. 

"No,  you  won't  wait  for  Papa,  as  if  I 
could  n't  get  you  out.  Keep  Nanny  out  of 
the  way.  I  'm  coming." 

Before  Neal  could  object,  he  dropped  heav- 
ily down  beside  her.  "  Whew  !  "  he  ex- 
claimed, "  I  did  n't  know  it  was  that  deep." 

"  Now  we  are  all  three  here,"  cried  Neal, 
half  laughing  and  half  crying. 

"  We  won't  be  here  long.  Now,  give  me 
Nanny,  and  you  just  climb  up  to  my  shoul- 
ders like  you  used  to  on  Papa's,  and  then 
you  can  boost  Nanny  out  and  jump  after, 
just  as  easy  as  nothing." 

It  was  not  such  an  easy  feat  to  perform 
as  it  was  to  talk  about ;  but  after  some  hard 
struggling  and  puffing,  Nanny  and  Neal  were 
both  safely  above  ground.  That  was  all 
very  satisfactory,  and  Neal  glanced  around 


130  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

through  the  moonlit  woods  with  a  happy 
sigh ;  she  would  be  all  right  as  soon  as  Gene 
was  up,  to  banish  those  horrid  piney-woods 
spectres  that  her  eyes  would  see. 

But  Gene  did  not  come  up.  Neal  could 
hear  a  great  scratching  and  scrambling  down 
there,  but  no  Gene  appeared.  She  peered 
down  anxiously. 

"  Come  on  !  "  she  called. 

"How  can  I,  I'd  like  to  know?"  cried 
Gene,  crossly. 

"  I  don't  know.     I  thought  you  knew." 

"  How  could  I  know  this  was  as  deep  as  a 
well  ?  "  demanded  Gene. 

"  If  there  only  was  a  bucket,  I  could  draw 
you  out." 

"  Yes,  but  there  is  n't  a  bucket,  you  see." 

Gene,  down  below  in  the  dark,  set  his  wits 
to  work  to  think  up  some  means  of  escape, 
while  Neal,  above,  looked  fearfully  around. 
She  saw  all  sorts  of  queer  things  that  she 
did  not  dare  to  mention  to  Gene,  for  fear  he 


NEAL'S  NEW  NANNY.  131 

would  call  her  a  coward ;  but  at  last  she  saw 
something  that  she  knew  was  no  fancy.  It 
was  a  blazing  torch  swaying  above  the  brow 
of  the  knoll.  It  rose  higher  and  higher,  and 
presently  a  man's  arm  and  head  appeared ; 
he  was  coming  straight  toward  her. 

She  seized  the  Nanny,  who  was  curled  up 
against  her,  and  dropped  precipitately  into 
the  sink-hole. 

Fortunately,  Gene  was  not  directly  beneath 
the  opening,  or  he  might  have  been  badly 
hurt ;  as  it  was,  she  knocked  him  with  such 
force  as  to  throw  him  against  the  rough  sides 
of  the  hole  and  bruise  him  considerably. 

"  Goodness !  What  on  earth  —  "he  shouted 
in  no  gentle  voice. 

"  Sh ! "  whispered  Neal,  clutching  his 
arm  fiercely.  "  Somebody  's  coming  !  " 

"  Somebody  —  a  shadow  in  your  eye. 
Ouch !  let  go  my  arm  !  " 

But  Neal  clung  all  the  closer. 

"  No,  it 's  somebody,  with  a  torch." 


132  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  Papa  and  Brer !  and  you,  bolting  out 
of  sight  like  this;  and  they  out  hunting 
you  half  the  night !  Holler  for  all  you  're 
worth ! "  and  Gene  lifted  up  his  voice  in  a 
series  of  lusty  shouts,  while  Neal  screeched 
wildly.  In  a  moment  a  pack  of  dogs  was 
clustered  around  the  hole,  wagging  their 
tails,  and  howling  and,  barking  in  happy 
chorus.  The  light  of  a  torch  flashed  down 
upon  the  children ;  and  in  another  moment 
Neal,  with  her  Nanny  clutched  close,  was  sob- 
bing and  laughing  in  her  father's  arms,  while 
Gene  was  explaining,  — 

"  I  just  could  n't  stay  at  home,  Papa, 
when  I  thought  of  Neal  out  here  getting 
scared  to  death  at  all  the  nothings  she  sees 
in  the  dark.  I  thought  a  ha'nt  had  her, 
sure,  when  I  first  heard  her  yell." 


A  STRANGE   CROP.  133 


CHAPTER   IV. 

A   STRANGE    CROP. 

THERE  were  some  things  about  the  sink- 
hole that  neither  Gene  nor  Neal  had  meant 
to  tell ;  but  somehow  all  came  out,  and  they 
were  well  laughed  at  and  teased. 

But  Neal  was  used  to  being  made  fun  of, 
and  did  not  mind  it  in  the  least ;  and  Gene, 
having  learned  his  lesson  of  self-control  from 
his  unhappy  experience  with  Flo, —  moreover, 
having  seen  his  brer  endure  some  pretty 
tough  teasing  with  determined  good-nature, 
—  bit  his  lips  and  kept  the  old  temper  down 
right  manfully. 

He  did  insist,  however,  that  he  would  have 
come  up  from  the  sink-hole  all  right  by  his 
own  unaided  efforts,  if  they  only  had  given 
him  time. 


134  UNDEK    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  I  reckon  you  thought  you  'd  grow  out," 
Brer  remarked  dryly. 

Neal's  wondering  eyes  opened  wide  at  this 
suggestion,  and  she  fell  to  pondering  such  a 
strange  idea.  She  said  nothing  about  it  for 
the  present,  however;  she  waited  a  whole 
week,  until  the  boys  had  gone  off  on  the 
bear  hunt  with  the  hunters.  For  to  Gene's 
inexpressible  delight,  he  received,  at  the  very 
last  moment,  permission  to  accompany  his 
brer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lee  having  decided,  from 
seeing  his  determined  efforts  to  control  his 
temper,  that  he  might  again  be  intrusted 
with  a  gun. 

Two  faithful  dogs  were  left  to  help  Flo 
guard  the  house,  so  that  Mrs.  Lee  and  the 
girls  and  Nip,  and  black  Nance  in  the 
kitchen,  need  have  no  fears  during  the 
hunters'  absence. 

"When  Brer  and  Gene  rode  off  with  the 
men,  sitting  erect  and  proud  on  Jinny  and 
Nag,  and  trying  not  to  grin  from  ear  to  ear 


A   STRANGE    CROP.  135 

with  delight,  the  girls  half  wished  that  they 
were  boys  going  on  a  hunt,  —  only  they  were 
afraid  of  bears.  After  all,  they  would  much 
rather  stay  at  home  with  their  dolls  —  and 
Nip.  They  actually  were  to  have  Nip  all  to 
themselves,  without  danger  of  the  boys  com- 
ing in  to  interrupt  and  to  make  fun  of  their 
dolls. 

Their  dolls  were  a  rather  ridiculous  set,  to 
be  sure,  but  they  would  have  been  much 
more  respectable  if  the  boys  had  let  them 
alone  ;  and  in  any  condition  they  were  very 
precious  to  the  girls,  who  only  wished  that 
they  had  more. 

All  counted,  there  were  five ;  but  Elodia, 
the  beautiful  doll  from  New  Orleans,  with 
wonderful  real  hair,  with  eyes  that  closed, 
and  with  a  pitiful  little  voice  when  she  was 
punched  sufficiently  hard  on  the  stomach, 
was  usually  laid  carefully  away  in  her  box, 
so  she  only  counted  when  she  came  forth  in 
all  her  splendor  on  state  occasions.  Celia's 


136  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

china  head  was  in  Mamma's  basket  waiting 
for  a  new  body.  Beauty's  rubber  nose  was 
worn  off,  and  she  had  turned  quite  black 
with  mortification  ;  moreover,  she  was  minus 
a  leg  and  both  arms,  so  that  she  was  in  no 
condition  to  be  fussed  over.  Accordingly, 
there  remained  but  one  doll  apiece  for  the 
girls  to  dress  and  whip  and  shake  and  hug 
and  kiss. 

Nip  was  much  better  than  a  doll,  because 
he  was  alive.  Dressed  up  in  one  of  Mamma's 
cast-off  gowns  and  an  old  bonnet,  with  his 
face  well  dusted  with  powder  to  give  him  a 
fair  complexion,  he  made  a  very  stylish  lady 
indeed,  poising  his  head  jauntily  and  tripping 
about  precisely  like  Aunty.  He  was  charm- 
ing company  too,  and  the  girls  exchanged 
visits  with  him  all  the  time. 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Nip,  howdy.  Come  right  in 
and  sit  down."  Joy  was  keeping  house  on 
the  north  end  of  the  gallery.  "  Here 's  Mrs. 
Neal  staying  with  me  while  her  husband  's 


A   STRANGE   CROP.  137 

off  on  the  hunt.  Let  me  take  your  bonnet 
—  oh,  no,  I  forgot  you  must  keep  it  on  to 
cover  the  wool.  —  Ahem  !  Well,  how  is  your 
sweet  Beauty  to-day  ? " 

"  Beauty  doan  feel  right  sma't  dis  mo'nin'. 
Her  laig  done  git  lame,  case  she  dis'bey 
her  maw  an'  go  hoppin'  roun'  on  it.  She 's 
right  heavy,  an'  I  done  tole  her  one  leg  ain't 
'nough  to  'spo't  her.  She  's  mighty  bad,  an' 
I's  'bleege  to  keep  her  woun'  up  right  tight  in 
dis  yer  ole  petticoat  ob  Joy's  —  oh,  I  mean 
dis  yer  boo'ful  shawl  from  Grammer  Bay,  so 
she  doan  run  'way,  an'  git  her  'plexion  spoilt 
in  de  sun.  She 's  jes'  boun'  to  hab  her  own 
way,  an'  she  gits  away,  case  I's  boun'  to  do 
som'fin  else  dan  hoi'  on  to  her  all  de  time. 
Dar  she  goes  dis  minute !  Come  yer,  you 
to'mentin'  chile ;  I 's  boun'  to  gib  you  a  sma't 
w'ippin'  fo'  doin'  me  dat-a-way."  For  Beauty 
had  suddenly  thrown  oft'  her  wrap,  and  made 
a  flying  leap  over  the  side  of  the  gallery. 

Mrs.  Nip  rushed  after  her  wilful  child,  and 


138  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

brought  her  back,  shaking  her  vigorously  by 
her  one  arm. 

"  I 's  gwine  to  gib  you  a  w'ippin'  yo  's  boun' 
to  'member,"  exclaimed  the  tried  mother, 
and  suited  the  action  to  the  word  by  laying 
poor  Beauty  across  her  knee  and  pounding 
her  until  she  cried  for  mercy  in  Joy's  voice, 
and  said  she  would  not  do  so  any  more. 

"I's  gwine  put  yo'  whar  yo'  boun'  to  be 
safe,  so  I  ken  tak  a  liT  comfo't  a-visitin'  wiv 
de  ladies." 

Having  put  Beauty  into  his  chair  and 
seated  herself  firmly  upon  her,  Mrs.  Nip 
brushed  the  anxious  frown  and  some  pow- 
der from  her  forehead,  and  resumed  the 
conversation. 

"  Wat  fo'  yo'-alls  cryin'  dis  boo'ful  mo'n- 
in'  ?  Is  yo'  liT  chill  uns  sick  ?  " 

Neal  wiped  the  tears  of  merriment  from 
her  eyes  and  pursed  up  her  mouth  in  a  polite 
simper. 

"  Beulah   is   right  well,  thank  you,  Mrs. 


A    STRANGE    CROP.  139 

Nip;  but  she  gets  so  lonely  playing  all 
alone." 

"  Lily,  too,"  chimed  in  Mrs.  Joy. 

"  Oh,  say,  Nip,"  cried  Neal,  breaking  in 
upon  their  play  and  the  conversation  quite 
impolitely,  "  how  long  would  it  have  taken 
for  me  and  Gene  and  Nanny  to  grow  up  out 
of  the  sink-hole,  do  you  reckon  ? " 

Nip  was  obliged  to  meditate  a  few  mo- 
ments over  this  startling  question. 

"I  reckon  dat  'pend  on  de  we'der,"  he 
said  at  last,  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye.  "  Ef 
de  rain  come  down  right  sma't  an'  doan  wash 
yo'-alls  'way,  I  'low  how  yo'  boun'  to  show 
yo'self  'bove  groun'  bimeby." 

"As  long  as  the  beans,  do  you  reckon?" 

"I  'low  yo'-alls  doan  wan'  come  up 
wrong-side-up,  lak  de  beans  does." 

"Well,  the  beets,  then?" 

"  De  beets  boun'  'bide  mostly  undergroun'. 
You  an'  Gene  an'  de  Nanny  doan  wan'  do 
dat-a-way." 


140  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

"  No,  of  course  not ;  but  do  you  think  we 
would  be  up  by  this  time,  Nip?" 

Neal  spoke  very  earnestly,  and  leaned  so 
far  forward  in  her  rocking-chair  that  it 
slipped  from  under  her  and  let  her  down 
upon  the  gallery  floor ;  but  she  was  just  as 
comfortable  there,  and  waited  impatiently 
for  an  answer  to  her  question. 

"  I  reckon  yo'-alls  come  up  de  day  befo' 
to-morrer,"  answered  Nip,  rolling  up  his  eyes 
wisely.  "  Case  why,  Neal  ?  Yo'  gwine  to 
plant  yo'self?" 

"  No,  of  course  not ;  but  I  do  want  some 
more  dolls.  Say,  Joy,  let 's  plant  Celia's 
head,  and  Beauty's  arms  and  leg,  and  —  " 

Joy  clapped  her  hands  in  delight. 

"And  Lily's  loose  eye,"  she  screamed 
excitedly.  "  We  '11  just  have  heaps  of 
dolls." 

"Oh,  hush,  let's  not  tell  until  they 're  up," 
cautioned  Neal.  "  Do  you  reckon  it 's  good 
planting  weather,  Nip?" 


A   STRANGE    CROP.  141 

"  Fus-rate.  I  reckon  it  gwine  rain  dis 
ebnin'." 

"Well,  come  on,  then.  Let's  hustle.  You 
get  Celia.  Here  'a  the  arms.  Where 's  the 
leg?" 

"  In  the  churn  in  the  store-room." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  children  were  hurry- 
ing with  their  queer  seed  to  the  corn-patch. 
Nip  was  armed  with  a  spade,  while  Neal 
and  Joy  dragged  one  a  rake  and  the  other  a 
hoe  after  them. 

The  cornfield  had  just  been  ploughed,  and 
the  clayey  soil  was  sticky,  but  it  was  soft 
and  easy  to  work,  and,  besides,  no  one  was 
likely 'to  come  that  way  to  spy  their  garden. 

They  chose  the  very  farthest  corner,  and 
fell  to  work  with  a  will.  It  was  a  large, 
smooth  bed  when  it  was  made,  and  looked 
very  inviting  indeed. 

In  the  northwest  corner  they  planted 
Celia's  head.  It  made  them  feel  very  sad 
to  cover  her  up ;  but  they  left  the  round 


142  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

shiny  top  of  her  head  above  ground  so  she 
could  grow  out  faster. 

Lily's  eye  they  covered  entirely,  like  a 
seed,  in  the  southwest  corner,  and  marked 
the  spot  with  three  little  sticks. 

The  two  arms  and  leg  they  planted  in  the 
two  remaining  corners,  pointing  fingers  and 
toes  upward,  since  it  was  on  the  other  ends 
that  they  needed  to  take  root  and  grow. 

"'Pears  lak  we's  gwine  hab  a  mighty 
small  crap  fo'  sech  a  big  bed,"  said  Nip,  sug- 
gestively. "  I  reckon  dere  's  room  fo'  de 
whole  ob  Beauty  in  de  middle." 

"  Oh,  let 's  cut  her  up,  like  an  Irish  potato  ! 
She's  no  'count,  anyway.  Won't  it  be  fun  to 
see  the  dolls  popping  up  all  over !  You  get 
her,  Joy  —  and  the  scissors  too.  Me  and 
Nip '11  dig  holes." 

This  bright  idea  was  accordingly  carried 
out.  Poor  Beauty  was  ruthlessly  cut  up, 
the  bits  planted  in  straight  rows  and  smoothly 
covered  over. 


A    STRANGE    CROP.  143 

"  Now,  don't  say  a  word  to  anybody  until 
the}7  are  up,  and  then  no  one  will  have  a 
chance  to  make  fun  of  us.  Boys  think  girls 
have  n't  got  any  sense,  but  we  '11  just  show 
them !  Don't  you  go  and  tell,  Nip." 

"I  ain't  gwine  say  a  wo'd,"  Nip  assured 
them,  and  went  off  to  the  barn  with  the 
tools,  whistling  nonchalantly,  just  as  if  noth- 
ing had  happened. 

The  girls  slipped  quietly  back  to  the  gal- 
lery, and  made  great  show  of  playing  with 
their  two  remaining  dolls,  but  they  could  not 
help  blinking  knowingly  at  each  other  and 
bursting  into  smothered  giggles  whenever 
they  looked  at  Nip's  preternaturally  solemn 
face. 

"My  little  daughters  must  have  a  very 
funny  secret,"  Mamma  remarked  once,  but 
she  asked  no  questions  to  embarrass  them. 

Toward  evening  it  began  to  rain,  just  as 
Nip  had  prophesied.  It  rained  all  night,  but 
cleared  in  the  morning.  The  girls  sent  Nip 


144  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

repeatedly  to  look  at  the  corn-patch,  and  he 
reported  every  time  that  all  was  well. 

The  third  day  was  dry  and  clear,  but  the 
boys  and  the  hunters  came  home  with  the 
bear,  and  in  the  excitement  Neal  and  Joy 
forgot  all  about  the  dolly-bed. 

The  hunters  came  riding  up  with  great 
blowing  of  horns  and  loud  hurrahs. 

"  They-alls  done  tree  de  b'ar,"  Nip  an- 
nounced promptly,  but  when  they  drew  rein 
at  the  gate  there  was  nothing  at  all  to  be 
seen  in  the  fodder-wagon,  —  nothing  but  a 
great  pile  of  pine-straw. 

But  yes !  what  was  that  great  black 
thing  dangling  at  the  end  of  the  wagon  ? 
Neal  and  Joy  approached  it  cautiously ;  but 
Nip  seized  it  boldly  in  his  little  brown  hands 
and  began  pulling  with  all  his  might. 

"  Look  out !  "  cried  Cousin  Will,  sharply ; 
"  that  big  claw  '11  grab  you." 

The  girls  sprang  back ;  but  Nip  only 
grinned  and  felt  the  long  claws  with  his 
fingers. 


A   STRANGE    CROP.  145 

"  Dis  yer  claw  ain't  gwine  grab  nobody  no 
mo',"  he  chuckled. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  drag  the  huge 
bear  to  the  ground  and  carry  him  into  the 
yard. 

Neal  clung  to  her  mamma's  skirts;  but 
Joy,  when  she  saw  that  it  surely  was  dead, 
allowed  herself  to  be  perched  on  the  shiny 
black  side  of  the  great  creature. 

But  what  fierce  little  eyes  it  had,  and 
what  a  cruel  mouth,  full  of  long  white  teeth ! 
Neal  knew  that  she  should  dream  about  it. 

The  hunters  had  a  great  frolic  skinning  it 
and  cutting  it  up,  and  they  ended  with  a 
grand  feast  of  bear-steak. 

This  time,  when  they  gathered  about  the 
fire,  there  was  a  new  story  to  tell ;  and  even 
Neal,  folded  closely  in  her  father's  arms,  did 
not  tire  of  hearing  it,  and  asked  more  ques- 
tions than  anybody  else. 

The  boys'  faces  fairly  beamed  with  proud 

happiness.     They  themselves  had  not  killed 

10 


146  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

the  bear,  to  be  sure ;  but  what  was  better, 
their  father  had  killed  it,  and  at  the  very 
first  shot  too. 

It  had  all  happened  in  the  neatest  way. 
The  hunters  had  heard  that  the  bear  was 
eating  lambs  from  the  flocks  above  the  head 
of  Fish  River ;  and  so  instead  of  going  into 
the  swamp  again,  they  decided  to  lie  in  wait 
for  him  near  the  spring. 

They  did  not  build  a  camp-fire  at  night 
for  fear  of  frightening  him  off,  so  they  had 
to  go  without  coffee,  and  eat  cold  potato- 
biscuit  and  some  corn-pone  and  cold  bacon. 

They  had  tied  the  horses  back  a  little  in 
a  sapling  thicket,  and  Mr.  Lee  had  offered 
to  guard  them  while  the  others  watched  for 
the  bear.  This  was  very  generous  of  him, 
for  very  likely  he  would  be  too  far  off  to 
have  a  shot  at  the  bear,  which  the  boys 
thought  was  not  quite  fair. 

But  of  course  they  decided  to  stay  with 
their  father,  so  they  wrapped  themselves  in 


A    STRANGE    CROP.  147 

their  blankets  and  lay  down  near  the  tree  to 
which  old  Nag  was  tethered. 

They  placed  their  guns  close  beside  them, 
for  they  meant  to  keep  their  eyes  wide  open 
and  to  listen  with  all  their  ears  for  the  least 
rustle,  for  they  were  as  anxious  as  any  one  to 
have  a  shot  at  the  bear. 

They  were  very  tired,  however,  and  before 
they  had  lain  there  long,  Gene's  eyes  became 
so  painfully  heavy  that  he  let  them  close 
for  just  a  moment's  snooze ;  and  when  Brer 
heard  him  snoozing  so  comfortably,  he  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  take  just  one 
wink  of  sleep  also.  But  somehow,  neither 
of  them  thought  to  waken  until  a  sharp 
bang  right  over  their  heads  startled  them 
half  out  of  their  senses. 

"Lie  still!  "  their  father  commanded  in  a 
sharp,  low  voice.  He  was  on  one  knee  be- 
side them,  aiming  his  rifle  over  them.  He 
did  not  fire  again.  The  hunters  came  run- 
ning up.  Mr.  Lee  lowered  his  gun  and  told 
the  boys  that  they  might  get  up. 


148  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

They  were  on  their  feet  instantly ;  and 
there,  only  a  few  yards  from  them,  lay  the 
huge  black  monster. 

On  his  way  to  his  evening  feast,  the  bear 
had  discovered  the  sleeping  boys,  and  had 
turned  aside  to  see  what  they  might  be. 

Mr.  Lee  was  just  dozing  off,  when  he  was 
roused  by  Nag's  plunging  and  snorting  ;  and 
raising  his  gun,  he  had  sent  a  bullet  to  the 
bear's  heart  just  in  time  to  save  the  boys 
from  a  crushing  hug. 

"  Dat  b'ar  ain't  got  no  sense  ef  he  'lowed 
you-uns  was  lambs,"  exclaimed  Nip,  scorn- 
fully. 

"  I  think  I  must  keep  my  boys  with  me 
next  time,"  said  Mrs.  Lee. 

The  boys  raised  woful  voices  at  this,  but 
their  father  silenced  them. 

"Don't  make  me  sorry  I  took  you  once, 
boys.  Your  mother  will  decide  what  is  best 
when  the  next  time  comes." 

No  wonder  that  their  planting  was  quite 


A    STRANGE    CROP.  149 

driven  from  the  girls'  heads.  Nearly  a  week 
passed  before  they  thought  anything  about 
it,  and  then  it  was  a  remark  of  Brer's  that 
recalled  the  dolly-bed  to  their  minds. 

"  Did  you  plant  some  collards  out  in  the 
corn-patch,  Papa  ? "  he  asked  one  day  at 
the  dinner-table.  He  winked  at  Gene  as  he 
put  the  question,  but  the  girls  did  not  see 
that. 

"  Collards  in  the  corn-patch !  Certainly 
not." 

"  Well,  something  is  coming  up  there,  out 
in  the  far  corner,  close  to  the  fence.  The 
things  did  n't  look  like  collards,  they  were 
so  bright,  but  I  did  n't  reckon  anybody  'd 
make  a  flower-bed  away  out  yonder.  I  'm 
bound  to  see  what  they  are  this  evening." 

Neal  nearly  choked  herself,  she  crammed 
her  mouth  so  full  of   light  bread,  and  Joy 
clutched  her  chair  with  all  her  might,  and 
her  face  grew  alarmingly  red.     But  no  one 
seemed  to  notice  the  girls ;  and  they  man- 


150  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

aged,  by  desperate  efforts,  to  sit  still  until 
dinner  was  over. 

When  they  left  the  table  Neal  was  obliged 
to  feed  her  two  Nannies,  and  by  that  time 
the  boj^s  had  called  Nip  off  with  them,  so  the 
two  little  girls  had  to  go  to  the  corn-patch 
without  him.  They  caught  a  first  glimpse 
of  the  dolly-bed  from  the  top  of  the  rail- 
fence,  when  they  scrambled  over. 

"  Oh,  look,  they  're  all  dressed  up  !  " 
screamed  Joy,  clasping  her  hands  raptur- 
ously. "  Don't  they  look  fine  !  " 

And  in  fact,  the  dolly-bed  appeared  to  be 
blooming  with  figures  that  nodded  and  beck- 
oned in  the  bright  sunlight. 

The  girls  stumbled  breathlessly  across  the 
ploughed  ground,  never  stopping,  and  hardly 
daring  to  look  until  they  were  quite  close  to 
the  bed. 

Then  they  clasped  each  other's  hands  and 
gazed  wonderingly  at  their  blossoming  dolly- 
bed. 


A    STRANGE    CROP.  151 

There  was  no  doubt  of  it,  they  were  actual 
dolls,  though  very  curious  ones,  not  in  the 
least  like  the  seed  they  had  planted  or  the 
dolls  in  the  house. 

"  They  look  like  they  had  growed  up  from 
kernels  of  corn,"  said  Joy,  hardly  daring  to 
speak  above  a  whisper  lest  the  strange  dollies 
should  vanish. 

"  That 's  because  they  grew  in  the  corn- 
patch,"  explained  Neal,  stooping  down  and 
lightly  touching  the  one  in  Celia's  corner. 

"  This  don't  look  like  Celia,  but  it 's  a 
doll." 

"  Yes,  they  're  all  dolls,"  said  Joy,  "  and 
corn  too,  'pears  like." 

No  wonder  that  the  children  were  puzzled. 
The  group  of  dollies  seemed  to  be  made  up 
entirely  of  corn-husks,  —  faces,  arms,  bodies, 
and  all ;  only  their  dresses  were  of  all  the 
colors  of  Easter  eggs. 

"  Let 's  pick  them  and  take  them  in  to 
Mamma,"  suggested  Neal. 


152  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

But  just  at  this  moment  the  boys  and  Nip 
sprang  up  on  the  fence  close  beside  them. 

"  Oh,  Nip,  just  see  what 's  sprouting  up! " 
cried  Neal.  "We  just  planted  these  dolls 
ourselves ;  Nip  saw  us,"  she  declared  to  the 
boys,  who  were  lifting  their  hands  with 
"  ohs  "  and  "  ahs  "  of  amazement. 

"  I  'low  Celia  an'  Beauty  done  growed  up 
into  co'n-dolls,"  was  Nip's  only  remark,  as 
he  examined  the  wind-tossed  blossoms. 

"  Gee,  what  a  fine  bouquet  they  '11  make !  " 
cried  Brer.  "  Ain't  you  going  to  tote  them 
to  the  house?" 

"Of  course  we  are.  How  do  you  pick 
them?" 

"  Oh,  easy  enough."  Brer  deftly  pulled 
up  the  corn-stalk  upon  which  one  of  the 
dolls  grew. 

The  girls  fell  eagerly  to  work ;  and  in 
a  few  minutes  all  the  dolls  were  plucked 
and  gathered  in  great  clusters  into  their 
arms. 


A   STRANGE    CROP.  153 

Neal  lingered  a  moment  to  poke  about  in 
the  dust,  to  make  sure  there  were  no  traces 
of  Beauty  and  Celia,  but  not  an  eye  nor  an 
arm  could  she  find. 

Mamma  expressed  as  great  wonderment 
as  the  boys  had  shown,  at  sight  of  the 
strange  crop. 

"  I  'm  going  to  ask  Papa  to  sow  dolls  in 
all  the  patches,  and  raise  heaps  of  them  for 
Santa  Glaus,"  cried  Joy,  ranging  her  armful 
in  a  fluttering  row  against  the  house  along 
the  gallery  floor. 

"Turnip-dolls,  an'  wata-melon-dolls,  an' 
potato-dolls,  an'  cabbage-dolls."  Nip  began 
to  tell  them  off  soberly  on  his  fingers ;  but  at 
the  idea  of  such  ridiculous  dolls  Mamma 
and  the  boys  went  off  into  spasms  of  laugh- 
ter, and  finally  Nip  himself  turned  a  summer- 
sault to  hide  a  grin. 

But  Neal  saw  him  smile,  and  it  set  her  to 
wondering  about  those  corn-dolls.  She  did 
not  tell  Joy  that  she  suspected  the  boys  of 


154  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

playing  a  trick  upon  them,  but  she  refused 
to  plant  any  more  dolls.  A  long  time  after, 
when  she  had  almost  forgotten  about  the 
dolly-bed,  she  discovered  Celia's  clayey  head 
stowed  away  in  the  far  corner  of  the  lowest 
drawer  of  the  great  bureau  in  the  store- 
house. Then  she  knew. 


THE   TRAMP.  155 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   TRAMP. 

As  there  is  neither  snow  nor  ice  to  melt 
away  under  the  water-oaks,  it  is  not  always 
easy,  unless  one  happens  to  have  a  calendar, 
to  know  just  when  spring  has  come. 

But  Nip  and  the  children  always  knew, 
for  in  spring  the  johnnies  came  clustering 
up  in  dancing,  daisy-faced  crowds.  The  vio- 
lets pushed  through  the  pine- straw ;  the 
sweet  waxy  arbutus-flowers  peeped,  fresh 
and  dewy,  from  beneath  their  coverlet  of 
black-jack  leaves;  the  buck-eye  bushes  turned 
red  with  heavy  blooms ;  the  swelling  buds  of 
the  honeysuckle  burst  into  fragrant  pink 
clusters  ;  the  old-man's  beard  turned  white 
and  trailed  its  drooping  branches  in  the 
sparkling  waters  of  Sweet- Water  Branch  ; 


156  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

every  laurel-bush  was  a  huge,  blushing  bou- 
quet ;  the  tyty  trees  hung  out  dainty  tassels 
of  the  most  delicate  perfume,  to  tempt  the 
children  and  the  bees;  the  yellow  jasmine 
trailed  over  the  ground  in  luxuriant  growth, 
or  climbed  the  slender  saplings,  bending 
them  low  with  the  heavy  weight  of  golden 
fragrant  blooms.  Of  course  not  all  these 
flowers  came  at  once ;  that  would  be  too 
bewildering.  They  were  expected  to  come  in 
proper  order  as  the  sun  called  them  forth ; 
but  they  crowded  upon  one  another  in  rapid 
succession,  or  played  truant,  as  the  season 
happened  to  suit  them.  The  sweet  bay  came 
more  leisurely,  also  the  creamy  magnolias, 
high  up  among  the  glossy  leaves  of  the  white- 
trunked  trees.  These  were  the  wild-flowers 
flourishing  in  the  hollows  and  hillsides  of 
the  piney  woods,  and  overhanging  the 
springs  and  branches. 

In  the  clearing  the  peach-blooms  were  the 
first  and  sweetest  that  came. 


THE    TRAMP.  157 

The  whole  peach  orchard  was  a  misty,  rosy 
cloud  dropping  showers  of  dainty  pink  petals. 

Sometimes  a  warm  sun  would  coax  the 
trees  into  bloom  too  early  in  the  season  ;  and 
Mr.  Lee  would  be  obliged  to  protect  the 
tender  buds  from  being  nipped  in  a  cold 
snap,  by  building  a  smudging  fire  in  the  or- 
chard, so  that  the  smoke  could  rise  all 
through  the  branches  and  keep  the  frosts 
away.  But  frequently  he  was  spared  this 
trouble  by  the  forest  fires  from  which  the 
smoke  rolled  in  heavy  waves  through  the 
piney  woods. 

The  times  when  the  woods  were  burning 
were  very  uncomfortable  ones  for  Neal  and 
Joy.  Everything  looked  so  strange  in  the 
smoky  air ;  the  sun  seemed  so  low  and  red 
and  hot  as  it  rolled  overhead ;  and  the  pine 
wall  that  bordered  the  clearing  was  so  far 
away  and  misty ;  besides,  they  were  always 
so  thirsty  and  their  eyes  smarted  so  pain- 
fully. They  had  such  a  queer  feeling,  as  if 


158  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

something  dreadful  were  about  to  happen; 
they  could  not  help  expecting  to  see  the  fire 
every  minute,  though  they  knew  it  might  be 
miles  away. 

Still,  it  always  came  at  last,  and  their 
father  and  the  boys  had  to  fight  it,  and 
sometimes  Mamma  and  old  Aunt  Nance. 

How  the  fire  started  in  the  woods,  no  one 
ever  knew ;  and  a  fine  was  claimed  by  gov- 
ernment from  any  one  who  should  light  the 
dry  grass,  but  still  the  fire  came  every  year 
as  surely  as  the  springtime.  Some  said  that 
lighted  matches  were  dropped  into  the  grass 
by  lawless  darkies  who  bore  a  grudge 
against  the  white  folks,  and  wanted  to  burn 
them  out  of  their  comfortable  homes ;  but 
nobody  could  prove  that. 

In  former  days,  when  the  grass  was  thick 
and  as  tall  as  a  man's  head,  the  men  who 
tapped  the  pine-trees  for  turpentine,  and 
worked  in  the  resin  distilleries,  used  to  set  it 
afire  to  "  run  out  the  snakes;"  but  now  that 


THE    TRAMP.  159 

the  grass  was  comparatively  low,  and  the 
trees  were  bled  of  their  sap,  and  the  men  all 
gone,  there  was  no  need  of  the  burning-,  and 
it  did  much  more  harm  than  good.  Govern- 
ment had  even  offered  a  reward  to  any  one 
wrho  should  detect  a  person  in  the  act  of 
starting  a  fire.  The  boys  had  no  such  dread 
of  the  fire  as  Neal  and  Joy ;  they  enjoyed 
the  fun  and  excitement  of  "  outing  "  it. 

Mr.  Lee  always  protected  his  home  by 
ploughing  around  the  outer  fence  of  the 
patches,  and  causing  the  boys  to  rake  away 
the  dry  grass  and  pine-straw. 

He  did  so  a  little  earlier  than  usual  this 
year,  because  he  was  obliged  to  take  a  trip 
through  the  piney  woods  and  across  Grand- 
ma's Bay,  to  buy  in  town  a  supply  of  seeds, 
hominy,  sugar,  and  such  things  as  did  not 
grow  in  the  patches  around  the  Water- 
Oaks. 

He  had  not  the  least  idea  that  the  fire 
would  come  up  for  several  weeks,  though  the 


160  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

woods  were  full  of  smoke ;  but  he  felt  better 
to  have  the  place  protected. 

"  It  is  possible  that  I  shall  be  kept  till  to- 
morrow," he  called  back,  as  he  drove  off  be- 
hind Pacer  early  one  morning ;  "  but  I  reckon 
I'll  be  back  to-night.  Take  care  of  your 
mother  and  sisters,  boys,  and  don't  let  the 
trough  and  the  critters  go  dry." 

The  boys  were  quite  accustomed  to  being 
left  in  charge  of  the  place,  not  only  when 
their  father  went  to  town,  or  was  off  on  a 
hunt,  but  during  the  long  days  that  he  spent 
alone  in  the  woods  riding  over  the  sheep 
ranges. 

"  We  '11  have  to  work  right  sharp  to  finish 
it  to-day,"  said  Brer,  leading  the  way  to  the 
barn  as  soon  as  their  father  was  out  of  sight. 

"  We  're  just  bound  to  finish  it,"  exclaimed 
Gene,  enthusiastically. 

"  We 's  gwine  kotch  de  ole  red  sun  on  a 
pine-top  an'  holt  him  up,  ef  he  wan'  go  to 
roost  wiv  de  chickins,  case  we  're  boun' 


THE    TRAMP.  161 

finish  dat  playhouse  befo*  night,"  Nip  de- 
clared, in  his  turn,  with  an  emphatic  shake 
of  his  woolly  head. 

"  Well,  you  and  Nip  feed  the  shotes  and 
let  out  the  calves,  while  I  draw  water.  I 
reckon  we  '11  be  done  by  breakfast-time,  and 
then  we  '11  have  all  day.  Lucky  Papa  let  us 
off  the  milking,  ain't  it?" 

The  boys  usually  enjoyed  a  sort  of  holiday 
when  their  father  was  away,  for  work  was 
his  motto,  and  he  meant  to  teach  it  to  his 
boys  early. 

To-day,  however,  the  boys  had  generously 
devoted  to  building  a  playhouse  for  Neal 
and  Joy. 

The  girls  were  overjoyed  and  humbly 
grateful  for  this  act  of  condescension  in  the 
boys ;  and  their  delight  was  not  in  the  least 
dimmed  by  Brer's  ungracious  manner  of  prof- 
fering the  favor. 

"  I  reckon  we  're  bound  to  build  a  house 

for  these  everlasting  dolls,"  he   had   cried, 

11 


162  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

giving  Lily  a  contemptuous  toss,  "  else  we  '11 
have  to  sit  off  on  the  water-oak  roots,  the 
gallery's  so  cluttered  up." 

"  Oh,  Brer,  will  you,  with  a  window  and  a 
door  and  a  table  —  ?" 

"  And  a  pianer  and  a  sideboard  —  and  — 
and  —  "  mocked  Brer.  " I  said  a  house" 

"  Well,  make  it  under  the  cedar-tree, 
won't  you,  Brer?" 

"  I  did  n't  say  I  'd  make  it,  did  I  ?  Now, 
hush  ;  supposen  we  should,  though,  would 
you  promise  to  keep  all  these  corn-flowers 
there,  and  all  the  rest  of  this  trash  ? " 

"  Yes ;  everything.  But  if  you  won't 
make  a  door,  how  can  we  get  them  in  ? " 

"  Who  said  we  would  rit  make  a  door  ?  I 
declare,  you  make  me  right  mad.1' 

"  I  won't  say  another  word ;  only,  Brer, 
how  can  we  see  without  a  window  ?  " 

"  Run  and  get  that  old  window-sash  from 
the  barn,  and  look  through  it  if  you  want  to 
see." 


THE    TRAMP.  163 

Fortunately,  the  girls  understood  Brer  per- 
fectly, for  there  was  always  a  good-natured 
ring  in  his  voice  and  a  roguish  twinkle  in 
his  eye,  however  sharp  his  words  might  be. 

As  for  the  playhouse,  the  boys  anticipated 
making  it  with  as  much  eagerness  and  pleas- 
ure as  the  girls  would  enjoy  seeing  them 
do  it. 

They  hastened  with  their  morning's  work ; 
and  when  breakfast  was  over,  and  Brer  had 
thrown  out  their  corn-bread  to  the  pack  of 
dogs,  they  shouldered  their  axes  and  marched 
off  to  the  pond,  for  the  first  thing  to  be  done 
was  to  fell  some  saplings  from  the  thicket 
and  cut  them  into  proper  lengths,  for  the 
house  was  to  be  of  logs,  like  the  smokehouse, 
the  storehouse,  and  the  potato-house. 

"  AVe  're  coming  too,"  shouted  Joy,  as  she 
and  Neal  came  trotting  after,  each  with  a 
doll  tucked  under  her  arm. 

"  Won't  you  bother  and  ask  questions  and 
jabber  all  the  time  ? " 


164  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  No,  we  won't  say  a  word.  We  '11  be 
just  as  quiet  as  mice." 

"  All  right,  then ;  mind  you  keep  out  of 
the  way  when  the  trees  fall.  Better  stay 
where  you  are." 

Accordingly,  the  girls  sank  down  on  the 
pine-straw,  and  talked  and  planned  raptur- 
ously of  the  new  house  and  the  pretty  things 
with  which  they  would  furnish  it.  Every 
now  and  then  a  sapling  crashed  down ;  and 
the  boys  cheered  as  if  it  were  the  biggest 
tree  in  the  forest.  The  girls,  however,  were 
too  engrossed  in  their  own  plans  to  pay 
much  attention  to  the  boys,  until  they  were 
startled  half  out  of  their  wits  by  the  most 
awful  yelling,  all  three  boys  screaming  at 
the  tops  of  their  voices.  The  girls  jumped 
to  their  feet  and  stood  staring  wildly  around, 
uncertain  which  way  to  run,  for  of  course 
their  first  thought  was,  a  bear. 

But,  no,  the  boys  were  pounding  something 
on  the  ground.  It  must  be  a  snake ;  only 
the  boys  never  were  afraid  of  snakes. 


THE    TRAMP.  165 

"We've  done  killed  it,"  shouted  Gene,  at 
last.  So  the  girls  advanced  cautiously. 

Brer  was  sitting  on  a  log,  looking  white 
and  frightened ;  Gene  was  shaking  as  if  he 
had  a  chill ;  while  Nip  was  holding  up  a 
monstrous  wiggling  body  of  a  snake  on  a 
stick. 

"  Dis  yer  snake  ain't  no  moccasin,"  he 
said  positively. 

"It  isn't  a  rattler  either,  nor  a  coach  whip, 
nor  anything  that  I  ever  saw  before,"  cried 
Gene,  whose  teeth  were  still  chattering. 

"  It 's  a  snake,  anyway,  that 's  sure,  and 
the  biggest  one  I  ever  saw,"  said  Brer,  try- 
ing to  rouse  from  his  fright.  "  I  never 
knew  a  snake  to  do  any  one  that-a-way  be- 
fore. Gee,  how  he  squirmed  !  " 

They  had  been  working  away  merrily, 
planning  to  erect  a  house  with  all  the  mod- 
ern improvements  of  which  they  knew ;  and 
Brer,  having  selected  a  fine  straight  sapling, 
pushed  back  into  a  buckeye  bush  to  make 


166  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

room  for  a  good  sweep  of  his  axe,  when  his 
bare  foot  had  come  down  upon  the  cold, 
shiny  coil  of  a  squirming  snake.  Before  he 
could  move,  the  snake  had  lifted  its  head 
almost  to  a  level  with  Brer's  waist,  and, 
striking,  had  seized  the  lappets  of  his  pocket 
in  its  jaws. 

Then  it  was  that  Brer,  thinking  that  he 
was  bitten,  yelled  in  terror ;  and  Gene,  seeing 
the  monster,  had  cried  out  too,  Nip  swelling 
the  chorus  with  such  vehemence  that  the 
startled  reptile  had  dropped  to  the  ground, 
and  glided  directly  toward  the  spot  where 
the  girls  were  sitting.  But  in  a  twink- 
ling, Nip  had  brought  down  his  axe  on  the 
creature's  struggling  body,  and  had  pinned 
it  there  until  the  boys  had  beaten  out  its 
loathsome  life. 

"  Bring  the  ugly  thing  in  and  show  it  to 
Mamma.  She  '11  be  scared  half  to  death 
when  we  tell  her,"  cried  Neal. 

"  We  ain't  a-going  to  tell  her,  nor  you 


THE    TRAMP.  167 

either,  until  we  've  got  our  logs.  You  're 
willing  enough  to  go  in  now,  I  reckon ;  but 
if  you  say  a  word  about  this  before  we  come, 
you  're  bound  not  to  get  any  house.  Mamma 
would  fancy  the  pond  alive  with  snakes, 
and  wouldn't  let  us  cut  another  sapling. 
Go  along  in,  but  don't  you  say  a  word. 
We  '11  bring  it  and  tell  when  we  come." 
Brer  had  entirely  recovered  from  his  fright, 
and  was  himself  again. 

Except  for  this  short  interruption,  the  log- 
cutting  went  on  smoothly  all  the  morning, 
and  in  the  afternoon  the  even,  round  lengths 
were  fashioned  rapidly  into  a  line  square 
house. 

Doubtless  they  would  have  completed  it, 
door,  window,  and  all,  without  any  need  of 
impaling  the  red  sun  on  a  pine-top  to  keep 
him  from  going  down  into  the  smoke  and 
gloom  of  the  forest,  if  a  sudden,  furious  com- 
motion among  the  dogs  had  not  called  them 
in  haste  to  the  front  gate. 


168  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Some  one  was  there,  —  a  man  quietly  wait- 
ing a  few  yards  back  from  the  paling  against 
which  the  dogs  were  savagely  leaping. 

"Go  and  speak  to  him,  Brer,"  said  Mrs. 
Lee,  who  had  come  out  on  the  gallery. 

Brer  assumed  his  father's  dignified  bear- 
ing, and  advanced  to  the  gate. 

"  Howdy,  Bud !  "  said  the  stranger,  nodding 
familiarly. 

"  Howdy,"  Brer  responded  courteously, 
trying  vainly  to  hush  the  dogs. 

The  stranger  came  a  few  paces  nearer,  so 
that  he  could  make  himself  heard  above  the 
fierce  barking. 

"  I  'd  like  to  speak  a  word  with  your 
father,  Bud.  He  's  somewhere  abouts  the 
clearin',  I  reckon." 

"No,  he 's  in  town."  This  was  a  very  in- 
discreet reply ;  and  Brer  bit  his  lip  in  vexa- 
tion the  moment  he  had  made  it.  It  would 
have  been  better,  perhaps,  to  let  such  a  rough- 
looking  stranger  think  that  there  was  some 
man  about ;  but  it  was  too  late  for  that  now. 


THE    TRAMP.  169 

"Gone  for  supplies,  I  reckon.  I  hope  he  '11 
bring  some  tobac' ;  I  'm  just  out.  "Well,  I 
suppose  I  can  see  your  mother ;  I  'd  like 
some  grub  and  a  night 's  lodgin',  if  you 
can  take  me  in." 

Brer  withdrew  to  consult  his  mother. 

"  Mamma  will  send  you  out  a  good  meal, 
but  she  can't  lodge  you  to-night.  There's 
another  place  about  three  miles  ahead  that 
you  can  reach  before  dark  —  " 

"  Oh,  that 's  too  far ;  I  can  hardly  limp 
now.  Suppose  you  tie  those  dogs,  and  I  '11 
come  in  and  talk  with  your  mother.  I 
reckon  you  don't  have  much  company  in 
this  wilderness,  and  I  'low  she  'd  like  to 
hear  the  news." 

But  Brer  made  no  movement  toward 
obeying  his  suggestion. 

"  Well,  then,  Bud,  if  you  're  too  lazy  to  tie 
them  dogs,  just  call  them  off,  and  I  '11  walk 
right  in.  I  ain't  af eared." 

He  walked  boldly  up  to  the  gate. 


170  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  You  'd  better  not,"  said  Brer,  quietly ; 
"  I  might  not  be  able  to  manage  the  dogs." 
And  the  angry  animals  made  such  a  savage 
spring  at  him  that  the  man  withdrew  rather 
hastily. 

Gene  came  out  with  a  plate  loaded  with 
corn-bread,  sweet  potatoes,  bacon,  and  cold 
biscuit,  with  a  foaming  mug  of  corn-beer  to 
wash  it  down. 

The  man  received  them  over  the  fence, 
muttering  angrily,  "  So  your  mother  ex- 
pects me  to  sit  out  here  on  a  log,  and  eat 
cold  grub,  like  a  nigger." 

"  It  is  the  best  that  we  can  do  for  you," 
answered  Brer,  with  heightening  color. 
"  Those  victuals  are  exactly  what  we  all 
eat.  If  you  don't  want  them,  just  hand 
them  back." 

"  No  you  don't,  sonny.  Don't  get  riled. 
This  corn-beer  is  n't  bad ;  only  I  wish  it  was 
somethin'  stronger.  I  '11  put  this  grub  into 
my  pockets,  so  I  can  chew  on  it  if  my  shoe- 


THE    TRAMP.  171 

leather  gives  out.  There  's  a  heap  o'  nour- 
ishment in  cow-hide,  you  better  b'lieve ; 
that 's  why  my  shoes  look  so  chawed  up. 
I  'm  prospectin'  through  these  parts  with  a 
view  to  takin'  up  a  homestead,  an'  settlin' 
down  with  my  fambly.  Your  house  is  the 
first  I  've  come  across  in  two  weeks.  I 
reckon  I  '11  settle  somewhere  about  here  and 
be  your  neighbor.  I  'm  a  right  social  party, 
and  thankful,  too,  for  all  favors.  You  just 
depend  on  't  I  won't  forget  you  and  your 
stale  grub." 

He  cast  a  sharp,  scowling  look  about  the 
place,  and  slouched  heavily  up  the  road, 
turning  once  to  shake  his  fist  at  the  dogs, 
who  kept  up  their  fierce  din  as  long  as  he 
was  in  sight. 

"  That 's  the  meanest-looking  man  I  ever 
saw,"  exclaimed  Gene  ;  "  I  'd  just  like  to  let 
the  dogs  out  on  him." 

"  You  don't  mean  that,  my  son.  I  am 
always  too  sorry  for  such  poor  homeless 


172  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

men  to  be  angry  at  their  want  of  gratitude. 
Probably,"  Mamma  added  significantly,  "  he 
did  n't  learn  to  control  his  temper  in  his 
youth." 

"  But  what  is  he  going  to  do  to  us, 
Mamma  ?  "  wailed  Neal ;  "  he  looked  so 
mad." 

"  The  man  is  n't  going  to  hurt  us,  my 
child.  Don't  be  foolish.  See,  he  has  gone 
quite  out  of  sight." 

"  Dat  man  ain't  gwine  fur  befo'  he  lose  his 
whiskers.  Mighty  cur'us  'bout  dose  whiskers ; 
dey  des  look  lak  dey  gwine  drap  clean  off 
when  he  talk  so  peart." 

"  Is  that  so,  Nip  ?  Were  his  whiskers 
really  loose  ?  " 

"  Dat 's  de  truf,  Brer ;  I  seed  him  clap 
'em  on  right  sma't  w'en  he  tuk  notice  how 
dey  was  a-slippin'  down." 

"  I  suppose  he  is  some  criminal  or  escaped 
convict,"  said  Mrs.  Lee;  "but  never  mind, 
he 's  gone,  and  Papa  will  be  here  soon,  so 
hurry  about  the  work." 


THE    TRAMP.  173 

So  it  came  about  that  the  boys  did  not 
finish  the  playhouse  that  day. 

"  We-alls  done  fo'get  to  cotch  de  sun  fo' 
he  out  ob  reach,"  exclaimed  Nip,  regretfully, 
when  the  chores  were  done  and  the  boys 
returned  to  the  house. 

"  Oh,  well,  never  mind.  I  'in  tired  enough, 
and  the  girls  will  just  have  to  wait  for  their 
house  ;  "  and  Brer  threw  himself  wearily  on 
the  sheep-skin  before  the  hearth,  for  a  little 
fire  in  the  evening  was  very  cheerful  and 
not  at  all  uncomfortable. 

Mrs.  Lee  sat  in  her  cosey  chimney-corner, 
watching  the  flickering  blaze ;  while  Neal 
and  Joy  nestled  at  her  feet,  prattling  their 
sweet  nonsense  in  soft  undertone. 

"  Nip,"  called  Mamma,  presently,  lifting 
her  head  to  listen,  "  is  n't  that  the  wagon 
coming  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  de  wagin  ain't  comin',  Miss 
Lyla ;  but  me  an'  Gene  'low  we-uns  see  a 
cur'us  fiah  a-bu'nin'  yonda,"  answered  Nip 
from  the  gallery. 


174  UNDER   TIIE   WATER-OAKS. 

"  It 's  a  sure  light.  Mamma,"  cried  Gene. 

Brer  was  on  the  gallery  in  a  second, 
and  Mrs.  Lee  and  the  girls  hurriedly 
followed. 

"  Jes'  put  yo'  haid  yer,  Brer,  an'  I  reckon 
yo'  '11  spy  it  'tween  de  co'ner  ob  de  Owlets' 
Roost  an'  de  fig-tree." 

"  Yes,  I  see  it,  sure  enough,  Mamma.  It 's 
over  the  ridge,  flaring  up  right  in  one  spot. 
Now  it 's  gone ;  no,  there  it  is,  brighter  than 
ever.  Somebody  must  just  be  starting  it. 
You  look  right  there  through  the  fork  of 
the  fig-tree.  Do  you  see  ? "  Brer  placed 
his  mother  carefully  and  pointed  out  the 
direction. 

"  Yes ;  but  it  appears  to  me  more  like  a 
camp-fire  than  anything  else.  It  does  n't 
spread  in  the  least.  It 's  smothered  and 
smoking  now,  as  if  fresh  wood  had  just  been 
thrown  on.  I  reckon  it  is  our  tramp,  camp- 
ing out  there  for  the  night." 

"  But  he 's  bound  to  set  the  woods  a-fire  or 


THE   TEAMP.  175 

do  some  mischief.  Let  me  and  Gene  and 
Nip  slip  out  and  watch  him." 

"  I  hardly  think  there  is  need  of  that," 
objected  Mrs.  Lee.  "  Papa  will  be  here 
presently.  He  will  see  about  it.  You  don't 
want  to  deprive  the  man  of  such  poor  com- 
fort as  he  can  get  from  a  pine-straw  bed,  do 
you?" 

"  No,  of  course  not.  Only  I  believe  he  's 
staying  around  for  some  mischief.  Why, 
he  's  had  time  to  tramp  three  or  four  miles 
since  he  left.  He  's  just  got  some  reason  for 
hanging  around,  I  know." 

"  Only  let  us  go  and  peek  at  him,  Mamma. 
He  '11  never  see  us,"  Gene  pleaded.  "  We  '11 
take  Lyon  along." 

"  Oh,  no,  it  never  would  do  to  take  a 
dog  along.  Lyon  would  tear  him  all  to 
pieces.  You  must  leave  the  dogs  here,  and 
you  must  promise  me  not  to  do  anything 
rash.  Brer,  I  trust  to  your  judgment.  If 
the  man  is  only  resting  quietly,  come 


176  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

away  without  disturbing  him.  If  you  see 
anything  to  make  you  think  that  he  means 
mischief,  send  Nip  back  to  report,  and  I  '11 
tell  you  what  you  had  better  do." 

"  All  right,  Mamma ;  we  '11  be  sensible. 
Had  n't  we  better  leave  one  of  the  guns  with 
you?" 

"  Leave  both ;  you  won't  need  them.  You 
are  better  off  without  them." 

"  It  would  n't  do  any  harm  to  take  my 
gun.  It 's  only  loaded  with  bird-shot.  It 
might  be  a  mighty  good  thing  to  have  along 
if  I  wanted  to  scare  him,  you  know." 

"  Well,  take  it,  but  remember  what  I  say ; 
keep  quiet  and  don't  rouse  him.  He  is  a 
desperate  man,  and  it  won't  take  much  to 
make  him  angry." 

It  was  not  every  day  that  there  was  a 
chance  for  such  a  jolly  lark,  and  the  boys 
stole  off  into  the  dark  woods  with  the  most 
rapturous  feeling  of  adventure,  which  stirred 
all  the  more  keenly  in  their  breasts  because 


THE    TKAMP.  177 

it  was  mixed  with  uncertainty  and  the  least 
bit  of  fear. 

They  soon  reached  the  crest  of  the  slope, 
where  they  could  look  down  into  the  hollow 
and  see  the  flames  from  which  the  light  arose. 

It  was,  as  their  mamma  had  said,  a  camp- 
fire.  At  first  the  flickering  flames  and  the 
column  of  smoke  were  all  that  they  could 
distinguish,  because  of  intervening  sapling 
thickets,  the  large  pine  stems,  and  fallen 
timber ;  but  as  they  stole  nearer,  flitting 
noiselessly  from  tree  to  tree,  they  saw  a  dark 
figure  pass  between  them  and  the  light. 
They  paused  and  waited  breathlessly  for  it 
to  reappear ;  but  there  was  no  further  sign  of 
life  save  a  sudden  burst  of  sparks,  as  if  fresh 
fuel  had  been  tossed  upon  the  fire. 

"  If  we  can  just  creep  down  behind  that 
pile  of  logs,  we  can  see,  easy,  just  what  he  is 
up  to,"  whispered  Brer.  "  Go  right  still, 
now.  If  he 's  by  the  fire,  he  can't  see  us ;  but 
if  he 's  prowling  round  through  the  woods, 

12 


178  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

he  '11  be  mighty  apt  to  catch  sight  of  us. 
Come  on  ;  stoop  low." 

They  glided  quickly  and  quietly  over  the 
pine-straw  until  they  were  hidden  in  the 
shadow  of  the  great  fallen  trees  that  had 
been  twisted  off  and  thrown  together  by 
fierce  winds. 

The  boys  were  almost  startled  to  discover 
how  near  they  had  approached  the  fire.  Its 
light  flickered  brightly  on  the  trunks  of  the 
pine-trees  just  behind  them. 

"  Keep  down  in  the  shadow,"  Brer  cau- 
tioned. They  took  off  their  hats  and  peeped 
warily  over  the  logs.  The  first  thing  that 
their  eyes  rested  upon  was  the  figure  of  a 
man  sitting  with  bis  feet  to  the  fire  and  with 
his  back  propped  comfortably  against  a  pine- 
tree.  As  his  face  was  turned  toward  them, 
and  the  warm  light  of  the  fire  played  brightly 
over  it,  they  had  a  capital  view  of  him.  That 
it  was  not  their  tramp  was  the  first  thought 
of  Brer  and  Gene.  The  tramp  was  a  rough, 


THE    TRAMP.  179 

hairy  man ;  but  this  man's  face,  and  head 
too,  were  quite  bare,  as  they  plainly  could 
see,  for  he  had  tossed  his  hat  aside. 

Nip's  sight  was  keener  than  the  boys'. 
He  crawled  close  to  Brer  and  breathed  into 
his  ear, — 

"  I  'low  he  keep  dem  fine  w'iskers  and 
ha'r  to  dress  up  w'en  he  go  visitin'." 

Brer  looked  at  the  man  sharply.  His  cloth- 
ing certainly  was  exactly  like  that  worn  by 
the  tramp,  —  dirty  jean  trousers,  a  buttonless 
torn  coat  of  a  yellow-brown  hue  tied  together 
in  front  by  a  wisp  of  pine-straw,  and  a  faded 
red  kerchief  knotted  about  his  neck.  And 
when  one  came  to  examine  him  closely,  there 
was  the  same  scowling  face  and  angry  eyes, 
more  savage  and  repulsive  than  ever,  now 
that  the  partial  screen  of  hair  and  beard  was 
removed. 

He  had  been  sitting  perfectly  still,  with 
his  hands  clasped  behind  his  head,  and  his 
eyes  fixed  steadily  on  the  fire. 


180  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Presently,  however,  he  started  up  with 
an  impatient  oath,  and  glanced  suspiciously 
about  him  in  the  darkness.  He  seemed  sat- 
isfied that  there  was  nothing  about,  for  hav- 
ing tossed  two  or  three  pine-burrs  upon  the 
fire,  he  settled  down  with  his  chin  in  his 
hands,  and  began  muttering  indistinctly  to 
himself. 

It  sounded  exactly  like  the  growling  of  a 
bear,  and  an  angry  one  at  that.  Once  he 
lifted  his  head  and  looked  with  an  ugly  leer 
in  the  direction  of  the  Water-Oaks ;  and  he 
raised  his  fist  and  shook  it  threateningly. 

"  If  he  was  a  sure  enough  bear,  and  I  only 
had  a  gun  — "  Gene  began  resentfully ;  but 
Brer's  elbow  gave  his  ribs  an  imperative 
nudge. 

The  tramp  had  sprung  hastily  to  his 
feet,  staring  about  with  an  expression  of 
alarm  on  his  face.  He  stood  there  but  the 
briefest  instant ;  then,  with  a  quick  move- 
ment, he  scattered  the  blazing  embers  and 


THE    TRAMP.  181 

disappeared  behind  the  tree  against  which 
he  had  been  leaning. 

The  boys  crouched  lower,  but  kept  vigilant 
watch ;  and  presently,  by  the  light  of  the 
blazing  pine-straw  that  the  scattered  fire 
had  kindled,  they  saw  a  dark  form  skulking 
away  into  the  dark  woods. 

"  What  did  you  go  and  scare  him  off  for, 
you  simpleton  ? "  demanded  Brer,  in  an  an- 
gry whisper.  "  Did  n't  I  tell  you  to  keep 
still?" 

"  He  made  me  that  mad  I  'd  like  to  have 
hollered  right  out,"  muttered  Gene,  defiantly. 
"  Who  cares  if  he  is  gone  ?  I  don't,  sure. 
The  farther,  the  better." 

"  Yes,  if  he  has  gone.    Look  behind  you ! " 

At  Brer's  admonition  Gene  whirled  about, 
instinctively  doubling  his  fists  and  falling 
into  a  posture  of  defence. 

Brer  laughed,  "  You  're  fooled  mighty 
easy." 

Gene    turned    sharply   upon    his    teasing 


182  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

brer;  but  Nip's  mild  voice  interrupted  the 
explosion. 

"  Gwine  let  the  woods  burn  out  to-night, 
Brer  ? "  he  inquired  in  a  tone  of  placid 
indifference. 

"  No,  not  if  I  can  help  it.  Whew !  how 
that  fire  is  spreading !  Get  pine-tops,  quick ! " 

He  set  the  example  by  running  forward, 
and,  having  placed  his  beloved  gun  against  a 
tree,  by  seizing  upon  a  young  sapling,  and 
deftly  twisting  and  breaking  its  stem.  With 
this  fine  broom  for  "  outing  "  the  fire,  he 
rushed  forward,  shouting  to  the  others  to 
follow,  and  vigorously  fell  to  beating  the 
flames  that  were  spreading  nimbly  over  the 
pine-straw,  forming  two  lines  of  fire  burning 
rapidly  in  opposite  directions,  and  running 
out  longer  and  longer  at  the  ends. 

But  he  was  hardly  well  at  work,  thrashing 
vigorously  on  this  side  and  that,  when  he 
was  interrupted  by  a  wild  yell  from  Gene. 

"  Drop  that  gun  !  "  was  Gene's  cry. 


THE    TRAMP.  183 

"  Well,  no,  young  un,  I  ain't  a-goin'  to 
drop  this  fine  gun  just  yet.  It  might  go  off 
and  hurt  somebody,  you  know." 

Brer  recognized  the  sarcastic  voice  of  the 
tramp  on  the  instant,  and  understood  at 
once  that  he  had  stolen  up  in  the  darkness 
and  gained  possession  of  the  rifle.  He 
dropped  his  pine-top  and  bounded  to  Gene's 
assistance. 

"  Drop  it,  I  tell  you !  "  Gene  was  advanc- 
ing fiercely  upon  the  man,  his  face  white  with 
passion,  and  his  fists  raised  threateningly. 

The  man  laughed  mockingly,  and  raising 
the  gun,  took  quick  aim  at  the  advancing 
boy. 

"  Halt !  "  he  commanded  curtly. 

Gene  was  too  blinded  with  indignation 
and  anger  to  pay  the  least  heed ;  but  Brer, 
cooler-headed  and  more  sensible,  saw  the 
reckless  gleam  in  the  man's  eyes,  and  he 
shouted  imperiously,  "Stop,  you  Gene!" 
and  Gene  stopped. 


184  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  That 's  right,"  said  the  tramp,  lowering 
the  rifle ;  "  I  s'h'd  hate  to  see  you  hurt  your- 
self, and  you  might  run  against  a  bullet,  you 
know." 

"  You  might  run  against  one  yourself,  if 
you  don't  put  down  that  gun.  That 's  my 
brer's." 

"  Your  brer's,  is  it  ?  I  'lowed  it  was  mine. 
If  your  brer  wants  to  set  up  a  claim  for  this 
fine  new  rifle  of  mine,  he  can  speak  out  for 
himself ;  but  he  had  better  bide  right  where 
he  is." 

With  this  he  turned  the  rifle  upon  Brer, 
who  was  slyly  sidling  toward  him. 

As  Brer  wisely  obeyed  him,  and  both  boys 
stood  at  bay  before  him,  the  tramp  lowered 
the  gun,  but  held  it  in  readiness  for  instant 
use. 

The  boys  glared  at  him  angrily,  only  wait- 
ing for  a  chance  to  spring ;  and  he  returned 
their  gaze  with  an  alert,  angry  expression, 
over  which  played  a  taunting  smile  that  was 
very  exasperating. 


THE   TRAMP.  185 

"  So  your  ma  sent  you  skulkin'  out  here 
in  the  woods  to  spy  on  me,  did  she  ?  She 
was  n't  satisfied  to  turn  me  off  like  a  nigger, 
but  she  had  to  send  you  to  rout  me  out  of  a 
poor  pine-straw  bed.  Your  ma  ain't  no  lady, 
she  ain't.  You  may  tell  her  so  for  me  —  if 
you  ever  see  her  again." 

The  brown  eyes  and  the  blue  flashed  threat- 
eningly. 

"  You  'd  better  take  care  what  you  say 
about  my  mother  !  "  said  Brer,  in  a  low, 
stern  tone. 

"  My  mamma  is  the  best  lady  in  the 
world !  "  shouted  Gene,  the  veins  swelling 
on  his  forehead. 

Both  boys  were  touched  to  the  quick  by 
this  insult  to  their  mother ;  and  they  were 
quivering  to  spring  forward  to  avenge  it. 
But  the  man  was  handling  the  gun  signifi- 
cantly; and  they  restrained  themselves. 

"  You  're  right  plucky  little  chaps,  sure,  to 
show  fight  to  a  great  feller  like  me,  what 


186  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

owns  a  fine  new  gun  like  this  un.  But  I 
reckon  me  and  my  rifle  are  a  match  for  a 
dozen  of  you  and  all  your  niggers.  Where  's 
that  little  darky  hid  himself  ?  " 

He  spoke  with  some  anxiety,  and  cast  his 
restless  gaze  hither  and  thither  through  the 
woods,  which  were  all  alight  now  and  flicker- 
ing with  shadows  from  the  fire,  that  was  roar- 
ing and  leaping  in  triumphant  glee.  "  It 's 
time  for  me  to  be  inovin'  on,"  he  said ;  "  it 's 
gettin'  too  hot  for  me  here.  Look  a-here, 
do  }rou  know  what  they  do  with  spies  ?  " 

"  Hang  them,"  answered  Brer,  promptly. 

"  Or  shoot  them.  Shootin'  's  the  easiest 
and  quickest.  I  've  half  a  mind  to  let  you 
off  this  time ;  but  that 's  what  I  'm  goin' 
to  do  to  you  if  you  don't  turn  those  pockets 
of  yours  wrong-side-out  this  minute.  Look 
sharp,  now  !  You  first !  "  He  pointed  the 
rifle  squarely  at  Brer.  But  Brer  thrust  his 
hands  solidly  into  his  pockets  and  never 
flinched. 


'Instantly  the  boys  were  upon  him."  —  Page  187. 


THE   TRAMP.  187 

"  Look  sharp,  I  say  !  "  shouted  the  man, 
angrily.  "  I  '11  give  you  while  I  count  three, 
then  you  're  done  for,  sure.  Now,  one  — 
two  —  three ! "  the  gun  went  off  with  a  bang 
and  flash  ;  the  man,  with  a  smothered  oath, 
threw  up  his  hands  and  fell  struggling  back- 
ward. Instantly  the  boys  were  upon  him. 
Nip,  who  came  butting  like  a  ram  between 
the  man's  knees,  was  holding  down  the  shorn 
head ;  Brer,  heavily  astride  the  prostrate 
body,  struggled  desperately,  with  Gene's 
help,  to  keep  possession  of  the  knotted  hands 
that  strained  and  wrenched  with  alarming 
strength. 

"  Let  his  head  go,  and  get  the  gun,"  panted 
Brer,  who  felt  that  this  was  the  only  chance 
of  conquering  their  desperate  enemy.  "  Have 
you  fixed  it  ?  Cock  it,  then,  and  just  give 
it  to  him  if  he  budges." 

The  whites  of  Nip's  eyes  showed  diaboli- 
cally in  the  firelight.  He  took  aim  at  the 
man  as  if  he  would  like  nothing  better  than 


188  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

to  touch  the  trigger.  The  man  looked  up 
the  glistening  length  of  the  barrel  and  was 
quiet. 

"  Do  just  what  I  told  you,"  repeated  Brer, 
in  cold,  measured  tones.  "  If  he  stirs,  shoot. 
Now,  Gene,  just  let  go  his  hands ;  we  won't 
bother  ourselves  to  hold  him."  He  arose  de- 
liberately from  his  seat  on  the  man's  chest 
and  drew  some  stout  cord  and  a  knife  from 
his  pocket.  "  Turn  on  your  face ! "  he 
commanded. 

"  You  told  me  not  to  stir,"  retorted  the 
man. 

"  But  now  I  tell  you  to  stir,  and  you  'd 
better  mind  !  Nip,  if  he  does  n't  do  as  I  tell 
him,  you  just  let  him  have  it.  Now  turn !  " 

Brer's  voice  quivered  ever  so  slightly  as 
he  said  this,  for  the  man's  face  was  becoming 
terrible  in  its  wrath  ;  and  Brer  knew,  and 
Gene  knew,  and  Nip  knew,  that  there  was  not 
a  single  loaded  cartridge  left  in  the  barrel ; 
and  if  the  man  had  one  suspicion  of  this,  he 


THE    TRAMP.  189 

would  spring  to  his  feet  and  dash  upon  them. 
They  were  not  strong  enough  to  hold  him, 
and  the  empty  gun  was  their  only  chance  of 
victory. 

Slight  as  it  was,  the  prisoner  caught  that 
uncertain  tone  in  Brer's  voice,  and  a  shrewd 
gleam  lighted  his  sullen  eye.  He  made  a 
show  of  obeying,  and  turned  ever  so  slightly ; 
then  he  paused  and  asked, — 

"  What  for  do  you  want  me  to  turn  ?  " 

"  Never  mind  what  for.     You  just  turn." 

The  man  moved  slightly  over,  bringing 
his  right  hand  around  to  the  ground  ;  and 
Brer  noticed  with  alarm  that  he  was  slowly 
drawing  up  his  foot. 

"  Turn,  I  say  !  "  shouted  Brer. 

But,  quick  as  a  flash,  the  man  drew  himself 
together  for  a  spring,  when  — 

"  Turn !  "  thundered  a  stern  voice,  and  a 
rifle  was  thrust  close  to  the  wicked  face. 

The  man  dropped  and  rolled  over. 

"  Now  tie  him,  Brer,"  said  Mr.  Lee,  quietly. 


UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

"Here,  Nip,  take  my  gun, — it's  good  for  three 
or  four  bears,  —  and  if  he  does  n't  mind  on 
the  instant,  just  blow  his  brains  out.  Brer, 
march  him  home  and  lock  him  into  the 
potato-house.  Leave  the  rifle  with  your 
mother ;  she  '11  look  out  for  him,  and  you 
and  Nip  come  back  here.  Gene,  get  your 
pine-top  and  come  with  me ;  this  fire  will 
get  away  with  us  if  we  don't  look  sharp. 
There 's  a  tree  caught,  already.  I  must  stop 
that.  You  begin  at  this  near  end.  I  '11  be 
with  you  in  a  minute." 

Brer  had  no  further  trouble  in  managing 
the  tramp.  Having  securely  tied  his  hands 
behind  his  back,  he  helped  him  to  stagger 
to  his  feet,  and  pointing  toward  the  Water- 
Oaks,  bade  him,  "  March ! "  The  man  obeyed 
sullenly.  From  the  moment  when  he  knew 
that  escape  was  hopeless,  he  never  but  once 
opened  his  lips  to  utter  a  word  while  they 
had  him  in  charge. 

Brer  followed   him   closely,  with   cocked 


THE    TRAMP.  191 

gun,  while  Nip  led  the  way,  carrying  the 
man's  hat,  and  ragged  wig  and  beard. 

When  they  reached  the  Water-Oaks  and 
entered  the  yard,  it  required  all  Brer's 
authority  to  hold  the  dogs  in  check,  to  keep 
them  from  springing  upon  the  man  and  tear- 
ing him  to  pieces ;  and  when  he  was  safely 
lodged  in  the  potato-house,  they  dashed 
in  howling,  barking  circles  around  it.  Be- 
fore locking  him  in  for  the  night,  Brer  caused 
Nip  to  cut  the  cords  that  bound  his  hands 
and  to  spread  on  the  ground  a  pallet  that 
Mrs.  Lee  had  provided. 

The  prize  was  safe  till  morning ;  and  Brer 
and  Nip  bounded  like  deer  back  to  the  woods, 
where  the  fire  was  making  alarming  head- 
way. 

Mr.  Lee,  however,  was  an  experienced  fire- 
fighter. When  he  saw  that  the  rushing 
wave  of  fire  had  become  too  fierce  to  be 
beaten  out  with  pine-tops,  he  took  a  lighted 
brand,  and  drawing  it  through  the  pine- 


192  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

straw  some  rods  in  front  of  the  advancing 
flames,  he  kindled  a  counter  line  of  fire, 
which,  seizing  eagerly  upon  the  intervening 
pine-straw  and  grass,  and  drawn  in  by  the 
fierce  upward  draught  caused  by  the  in- 
tense heat  of  both  fires,  rushed  to  meet 
the  advancing  sheet  of  flame;  and  in  a 
few  moments  the  two  lines  of  fire  had  met 
and  died  quietly  away  for  lack  of  fuel.  The 
feeble  flames  that  had  resisted  the  draught 
and  had  crept  onward  over  the  long  stretch 
of  dry  grass  were  easily  brushed  out  by  the 
boys  and  Mr.  Lee. 

When  that  was  accomplished,  the  danger 
was  chiefly  over ;  still  there  remained  scat- 
tered over  the  blackened  region  burning  trees 
up  which  the  flames  were  swirling  to  the 
very  limbs ;  and  these  at  any  moment  might 
fall,  or  throw  a  burning  branch  into  the  un- 
burned  district,  and  thus  start  a  new  fire. 

Mr.  Lee  took  all  possible  precautions 
against  such  an  unfortunate  occurrence, 


THE   TRAMP.  193 

sweeping  down  the  flames  from  such  trees 
as  it  was  possible  to  save,  and  burning  the 
grass  away  in  wide  circles  about  burning 
trees  that  stood  dangerously  near  the  limits 
of  the  unburnt  region. 

The  boys  darted  briskly  about,  lending 
a  helping  hand  here,  using  their  pine-tops 
wherever  there  was  need,  shouting  excitedly 
to  one  another,  and  enjoying  not  a  little  the 
novelty  and  fun.  They  looked  like  imps  of 
darkness  as  they  sprang  about  over  the 
strangely  charred  and  smoking  ground, 
weirdly  lighted  and  shadowed  by  the  flaring 
light  from  the  burning  trees. 

It  was  long  past  midnight  when  they 
turned  their  faces  toward  home,  —  such 
smutted,  hollow-eyed  faces  !  Nip  was  the 
only  one  whose  complexion  did  not  suffer 
from  such  begriming  work. 

But,  oh,  how  tired  they  were  !  They  did 
not  realize  it  until  they  were  washed ;  and 
then,  when  they  tumbled  into  bed,  every 

13 


194  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

bone  in  their  bodies  seemed  to  have  the  tooth- 
ache. And  their  eyes  were  so  heavy  !  They 
would  have  time  to  think  about  the  tramp 
in  the  morning. 

The  morning,  however,  was  well  advanced 
before  they  awoke  from  their  sleep  of  ex- 
haustion ;  and  when  they  staggered  stiffly 
from  the  Owlets'  Roost,  they  found  that 
their  father  had  already  harnessed  Pacer 
in  the  long  wagon,  and  was  about  to  start 
with  their  prisoner  to  Grandma's  Bay.  He 
questioned  the  boys  closely  about  their 
encounter  with  the  tramp  on  the  previous 
night,  and  put  the  wig  and  beard  into  the 
wagon. 

"  Had  n't  you  better  take  Brer,  or  both 
the  boys  with  you  ?  "  Mrs.  Lee  asked. 

"  Oh,  no ;  the  boys  had  better  stay  here. 
They  'd  be  apt  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  world 
that  they  are  better  off  without  at  present. 
This  man  is  an  escaped  convict,  I  am  sure. 
You  need  n't  worry  about  me,  Lyla.  I  shall 


THE    TRAMP.  195 

take  old  Snap  and  my  rifle  along  ;  and  if  the 
fellow  shows  a  disposition  to  resist,  he  '11  find 
that  neither  the  dog  nor  I  can  be  trifled  with. 
He  shall  drive,  and  I  shall  sit  behind. 
There  's  not  the  least  risk." 

The  boys  did  not  know  whether  to  be 
pleased  or  not  at  this  summary  disposition 
of  their  captive.  They  hated  the  sight  of 
him,  and  yet  they  felt  a  sort  of  ownership 
in  him,  and  rather  wished  that  they  might 
have  a  hand  in  delivering  him  over  to  the 
authorities.  However,  they  never  disputed 
their  father's  judgment ;  and  they  hurried 
about,  helping  to  arrange  for  his  departure. 

It  was  when  he  was  seated  in  the  wagon 
in  which  he  himself  was  obliged  to  drive  to 
his  own  fearful  destiny  that  the  tramp  faced 
about,  and  wrathfully  shaking  his  fist  at  the 
boys,  cried  huskily, — 

"  You  youngsters  ain't  a-goin'  to  forget 
me,  —  the  man  that  you  sent  back  to  jail 
without  his  ever  havin'  done  you  a  bit  of 


196  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

harm !  I  ain't  a-goin'  to  forget  you,  you  bet ! 
When  I  come  to  the  gallows,  I  '11  think  of 
those  skulkin'  youngsters  that  sent  me  there. 
I  '11  curse  —  " 

"  Stop  that,  and  drive  on  !  "  thundered 
Mr.  Lee ;  and  with  the  pressure  of  cold  steel 
against  his  temple,  the  man  obeyed. 

The  boys  looked  uneasily  at  each  other, 
standing  still  where  the  wagon  had  left  them. 

"  If  he  did  rit  hurt  us,  he  would  uv  if  he 
could  uv.  What  else  was  he  planning  when 
he  swore  there  at  the  fire  and  shook  his  fist 
toward  the  Water-Oaks  ? "  cried  Gene,  de- 
fensively. 

"  I  don't  see  how  we  could  have  done  any- 
thing else,  especially  when  he  took  the  rifle," 
said  Brer,  his  face  much  troubled. 

"  He  boun'  kill  somebody  wiv  Brer's  rifle, 
suah,  ef  we-uns  doan  mek  'im  drap  it,"  was 
Nip's  conviction. 

"  You  did  just  right  and  bravely,  boys," 
said  Mamma,  reassuringly.  "  The  man  is  des- 


THE   TRAMP.  197 

perate  and  wicked,  not  fit  to  be  at  large,  — 
a  danger  in  any  community.  You  need  n't 
feel  in  the  least  troubled  by  his  words.  Don't 
think  of  them." 

But  the  boys  did  think  of  them,  —  Brer 
and  Gene,  at  least,  —  though  they  tried  their 
best  to  forget  them.  They  were  not  greatly 
troubled,  of  course,  since  Mamma  had  said 
they  had  done  right ;  still  it  was  not  pleasant 
to  think  that  they  had  sent  a  man  to  the 
gallows.  Fortunately,  they  never  knew  posi- 
tively that  he  was  hung,  though  Mr.  Lee, 
when  he  delivered  him  to  the  proper  authori- 
ties, found  out  that  he  had  been  convicted  of 
a  very  terrible  crime.  What  the  crime  was, 
he  never  told  the  boys. 

There  was  one  agreeable  circumstance 
connected  with  the  adventure  of  the  tramp 
that  went  far  toward  easing  the  boys'  con- 
sciences. The  judge  had  been  so  pleased 
with  the  story  of  their  bravery  in  capturing 
the  man  that  he  had  declared  they  ought  to 


198  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

have  at  least  the  amount  offered  for  cap- 
turing an  incendiary,  and  since  they  had 
seen  the  man  in  the  very  act  of  firing  the 
woods,  they  were  fully  entitled  to  the  reward. 
So,  upon  his  return,  their  father  smilingly 
gave  to  both  Brer  and  Gene  a  gold-piece 
equal  in  value  to  a  barrel  of  pecan-nuts  in 
the  fall. 


BRER'S  RIDE.  199 


CHAPTER  VI. 
BRER'S  RIDE. 

SPRING  is  such  a  rushing  time  under  the 
water-oaks  that  the  boys  had  at  this  season 
but  little  time  for  sport ;  but  they  had  such 
jolly  rollicking  times  over  their  work  that 
they  enjoyed  it  almost  as  much  as  play. 
Moreover,  it  was  such  a  pleasure  to  them  to 
feel  that  they  were  helping,  and  to  hear 
their  father  say  :  — 

"  I  'm  right  proud  of  my  boys.  They  can 
do  almost  as  much  work  in  a  day  as  two  full- 
grown  men.  They  're  worth  a  dozen  lazy 
no  'count  niggers." 

Nip,  in  a  way,  worked  with  the  boys,  of 
course ;  but  somehow  it  was  so  unnatural 
for  Nip  to  do  anything  but  frolic,  that  it 
seemed  almost  as  ridiculous  to  require 


200  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

work  of  him  as  of  Flo  or  any  of  the  other 
dogs. 

Still,  in  spring  every  hand  was  needed ; 
for  besides  the  ordinary  work,  there  was  the 
ploughing  and  planting,  cattle-hunting  and 
branding,  milking  and  churning,  sheep-driv- 
ing and  sheep-shearing,  fruit  gathering  and 
preserving,  and  a  thousand  and  one  other 
things  to  be  done  before  the  children  could 
hope  to  see  the  sparkling  waters  of  Grand- 
ma's Bay. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  feed  up 
Muley-Mule  a  little  with  oats,  so  that  she 
would  have  strength  to  plough  the  patches. 
Mr.  Lee  often  suffered  greatly  from  hoarse- 
ness in  those  days,  for  Muley-Mule  was  so 
stubborn  and  so  weak,  and  the  "  po'  pine 
Ian'  "  so  clayey  and  rough,  that  a  tremendous 
amount  of  geeing  and  hawing  was  necessary 
before  all  the  patches  were  furrowed.  But 
the  ploughing,  sooner  or  later,  was  always 
accomplished,  and  Muley-Mule  was  turned 


BEER'S  RIDE.  201 

forth  again  to  enjoy  her  life  of  undisturbed 
leisure.  The  poor  creature  really  did  enjoy 
life  at  this  season.  It  was  the  happiest  time 
of  the  year  for  her.  It  is  true,  the  measure 
of  oats  was  no  longer  doled  out  to  her ;  but 
that  was  of  no  consequence  when  tender 
sweet  grass  was  springing  up  all  through  the 
burnt  regions,  making  beautiful  green  slopes 
for  the  long  shadows  of  the  pines  to  stretch 
across,  and,  what  Muley-Mule  cared  for,  af- 
fording delicious  pasturage  upon  which 
she  could  feast  her  ribs  full,  with  a  delight- 
ful sense  of  deserving  from  work  well 
done. 

The  old  mule  actually  became  fat  and 
frisky  from  good  living.  At  night  she  would 
come  trotting  gayly  back  to  the  trough  with 
her  ears  coquettishly  cocked,  and  her  nose 
comically  smutted  from  contact  with  the 
fire-blackened  ground. 

Brer,  always  busy  filling  the  trough  at  the 
time  of  Muley-Mule's  visit,  would  greet  her 


202  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

comical  appearance  with  a  derisive  shout, 
while  Nip,  usually  Brer's  shadow,  would  ad- 
dress her  tauntingly,  — 

"  Heah  come  de  Beauty  ob  de  piney  woods 
to  look  at  herself  in  dis  yer  fine  lookin'-glass. 
Hi,  dar,  Muley-Mule !  yo'  done  forgit  wash 
yo'  face  an'  comb  yo'  ha'r,  an'  put  de  powda 
on.  Doan  go  fo'  to  put  yo'  triflin'  nigga 
face  in  dis  yer  fine  basin  w'at  quality  ho'ses 
gwine  drink  from." 

Muley-Mule,  being  so  comfortable  in  body, 
was  too  amiable  in  mind  to  resent  this 
impudence,  except  by  a  provoking  turn  of 
her  long  left  ear,  and  perhaps  by  a  longer 
draught  of  water  than  necessary,  thereby 
forcing  Brer  to  draw  an  extra  bucketful 
from  the  well.  And  every  bucket  counted  ; 
8,395  a  year  was  Brer's  reckoning,  averag- 
ing twenty-three  per  day, — sometimes  more, 
sometimes  fewer,  usually  more. 

There  were  the  two  buckets  on  the  back 
gallery  to  be  kept  full  of  the  sweet  spark- 


BREK'S  RIDE.  203 

ling  water  from  the  new  well,  also  Aunt 
Nance's  buckets  in  the  kitchen.  As  the  new 
well  was  furnished  with  a  nice  new  pump, 
drawing  the  house  water  was  a  compara- 
tively light  task ;  but  it  seemed  to  Brer  that 
the  two  buckets  in  the  old  well  must  be  con- 
stantly coming  up  and  going  down,  in  order 
to  keep  the  trough  from  going  dry.  It  must 
be  confessed  that  he  sometimes  grumbled 
over  the  lavish  use  of  water  under  the 
water-oaks  ;  but  as  he  really  took  great  pride 
in  keeping  buckets  and  trough  sparkling  to 
the  brim,  it  is  possible  that  this  grumbling 
was  indulged  in  for  the  sake  of  rousing  Gene 
to  controversy  rather  than  to  express  any 
discontent  with  his  work. 

It  was  Gene's  nominal  duty  to  chop  the 
light  wood  that  his  father  hauled  with  old 
Pacer  from  the  woods.  In  summer  of 
course  this  task  was  trifling ;  but  in  winter, 
especially  during  a  cold  snap,  when  the  peo- 
ple under  the  water-oaks  had  no  idea  of 


204  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

stinting  themselves  in  the  use  of  wood,  or 
of  keeping  doors  closed,  it  was  by  no  means 
light  work  to  keep  Aunt  Nance's  wood-box 
full,  and  the  piles  of  back-logs  and  light 
wood  in  the  gallery  up  to  a  respectable 
height.  At  these  times  Mr.  Lee  and  Brer 
always  came  to  his  assistance ;  but  the  re- 
sponsibility of  the  job  was  Gene's,  and  the 
whacking  of  his  fine  sharp  axe  or  the  trund- 
ling of  his  new  wheel-barrow  might  be  heard 
at  any  moment.  But  he  had  his  reward, 
not  only  in  the  consciousness  of  well-doing, 
but  in  his  supreme  satisfaction  at  night 
when  the  back -logs  were  laid  and  the  light 
wood  skilfully  adjusted,  and  he  lay  on  the 
hearth-rug  watching  the  red  flames  smile 
and  roar  up  the  chimney,  and  felt  that  he 
had  furnished  the  fuel  for  such  luxurious 
warmth  and  glorious  light. 

When  Brer,  with  a  great  show  of  being 
imposed  upon,  would  count  up  his  water- 
buckets,  Gene  would  cry  scornfully,  "  Draw- 


BEER'S  RIDE.  205 

ing  water, — that 's  nothing !  Cutting  light- 
ud  now,  —  that  takes  muscle  !  It  takes  a 
man  to  swing  an  axe  and  haul  wood  !  How 
many  stick  do  you  reckon- 1  cut  in  a  year  ? 
You  could  n't  count  'em  !  " 

"I  could  count  them  in  two  minutes. 
Just  try  watering  this  family  one  day,  and 
you  '11  see  who  does  the  work.  If  I  was  n't 
ashamed  to  do  such  baby  work,  I  'd  change," 
Brer  would  remark  with  provoking  conde- 
scension. 

"  Oh,  yes,  change  !  You  're  too  sharp  to 
change.  Come  on,  let 's." 


"  Black-jack 's  betta  'n  white  oak ! " 

This  sharp  interruption,  if  the  boys  were  on 
the  gallery  steps,  would  sound  from  the  ridge- 
pole directly  over  their  heads ;  if  they  were 
at  the  light-wood  pile,  it  would  drop  from  the 
cedar  branches  above,  repeated  immediately 
on  this  side  of  the  roof,  in  an  instant  on  the 
other,  in  the  tree  under  which  they  stood ; 


206  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

from  the  far  edge  of  the  grove,  or  after  an 
instant's  pause,  from  the  distant  patches. 

"  Black-jack 's  betta  'n  white  oak  !  " 

With  a  whoop,  the  boys  would  start  in 
pursuit,  for  of  course  it  was  Nip  mimicking 
the  whippoorwill  that  haunted  the  clearing 
in  the  moonlight  nights  of  summer,  hiding 
herself  in  the  dark  branches,  and  persisted  in 
shouting  out  for  half  the  night,  in  rapid, 
shrill,  and  positive  iterations,  the  trite  opin- 
ion that  black-jack  is  better  than  white  oak, 
as  if  any  one  would  take  the  trouble  to 
notice  her,  except  with  a  pine-knot,  if  one 
could  only  get  good  aim. 

It  was  far  easier  to  make  a  good  shot  at 
Nip  than  at  the  sly  night  bird,  cunning  and 
spry  though  the  little  darky  was ;  but  it  was 
only  with  harmless  pine-burrs  that  the  boys 
would  pelt  him  until  he  would  drop  upon 
them,  and  all  three  boys,  urged  on  by  the 
wild  barking  of  the  dogs  and  the  excited 


BRER'S  RIDE.  207 

cries  of  the  girls,  would  have  a  glorious 
tumble  that  would  effectually  banish  any 
remaining  feelings  of  rivalry  between  the 
drawer  of  water  and  the  hewer  of  wood. 

The  other  daily  chores  of  the  boys  were 
light,  —  corn-husking  for  the  horses,  corn- 
shelling  for  Mamma's  turkeys  and  chickens, 
feeding  the  few  cattle  that  were  kept  about 
the  place  the  year  around  for  the  scant  supply 
of  milk  that  could  be  drawn  from  their  shriv- 
elled bags,  penning  and  unpenning  the  year- 
lings, feeding  the  shotes.  Working  together 
and  with  Nip  made  these  duties  fun  pure 
and  simple,  unless,  indeed,  they  happened  to 
interfere  with  the  more  urgent  occupation 
of  trailing  a  rabbit,  treeing  a  squirrel,  or 
shooting  doves  and  partridges  in  the  pasture. 

Sometimes  Neal  and  Joy,  for  the  proud 
privilege  of  enjoying  the  boys'  society,  would 
make  a  pretence  of  helping  with  the  husk- 
ing or  the  shelling,  but  the  little  girls  were 
usually  content  to  devote  the  moments  that 


208  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

they  could  snatch  from  play  to  helping 
Mamma  feed  the  turkeys  and  chickens,  to 
hunting  hidden  nests,  and  to  nursing  mother- 
less, downy  pee-wees  and  wee-wees. 

In  the  planting  season,  in  order  to  leave 
Gene  at  liberty  to  help  his  mother  garden, 
old  Pete  was  summoned  to  help  Mr.  Lee  and 
Brer  seed  the  patches.  Pete  was  a  shiftless 
worker,  a  very  unequal  substitute  for  Gene. 
He  was  a  charmingly  social  old  darky,  how- 
ever ;  and  the  boys  immensely  enjoyed  hav- 
ing him  about.  He  was  wonderfully  weather- 
wise  and  Bible-wise.  The  boys  delighted  in 
asking  him  questions  to  draw  out  profoundly 
ridiculous  answers.  His  self-confidence  was 
never  in  the  least  shaken  by  the  failure  of 
the  weather  to  come  up  to  his  prophecies ; 
and  although  he  had  forfeited  his  member- 
ship to  more  than  one  church  from  his  utter 
inability  to  "  tell  de  truf,"  still  he  emphati- 
cally assured  the  boys  that  he  "  knowed  his 
Bible,"  and  to  prove  his  religious  tendencies 


BRER'S  RIDE.  209 

lifted  up  his  voice  over  his  hoeing  and  rolled 
forth  original  psalm-tunes  in  such  prodi- 
gious volume  that  the  clearing  fairly  rang 
with  hallelujahs. 

Labor  was  not  congenial  to  Pete.  When 
Mr.  Lee  and  Brer  were  absent,  he  usually 
sat  in  the  shade  of  the  fence  and  snoozed ; 
or  if  he  were  lonely,  he  would  try  to  entice 
the  boys  out  for  company  by  loud  and  im- 
portunate cries  for  "  wata." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  reckon  Pete  thinks  we  're  his 
niggers,"  Gene  would  remark  sarcastically, 
giggling  at  the  notion ;  but  finally,  when  he 
had  sufficiently  enjoyed  Pete's  calls,  he  would 
fill  the  tin  bucket  and  with  Nip  trot  out  to 
the  patch. 

In  the  vegetable  garden,  Gene  and  his 
mother  were  head-gardeners,  while  Nance 
and  the  girls  assisted  or  bothered,  as  the  case 
might  be.  Gene  considered  it  a  great  privi- 
lege to  be  allowed  to  work  here  instead  of  in 
the  patches,  not  only  because  he  delighted  to 


14 


210  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

work  with  his  mother,  whom  he  served  with 
beautiful  devotion  and  gallantry,  but  also 
because  the  entire  process  of  gardening  was 
in  itself  such  a  pleasure,  —  enriching  and 
cultivating  the  clayey  soil  into  mellow,  in- 
viting beds,  marking  the  straight  grooves  for 
the  seeds,  dropping  them  in  at  nice  depths 
and  covering  them  with  careful  patting. 
After  this  came  a  little  pause,  when  he 
waited  with  suppressed  excitement  for  the 
magic  work  of  the  warm  sun  and  the  gentle 
rains,  until  his  keen  eyes  spied  the  first  green 
tips  peeping  forth  in  the  identical  places 
where  he  had  hidden  the  seeds  away ;  then 
followed  the  prolonged  delight  of  watching 
the  little  sprouts  develop  into  lettuce,  peas, 
beans,  Irish  potatoes,  tomatoes,  cabbages, 
squashes,  just  as  he  had  planned  ;  the  blos- 
soming, the  forming,  and  maturing,  and 
finally  the  proud  triumph  of  gathering  the 
messes  for  Aunt  Nance  to  serve  in  savory 
dishes  to  the  admiring  family.  Were  ever 


BREK'S  RIDE.  211 

peas  and  beans  and  potatoes  so  delicious  as 
Mamma's  and  his,  or  lettuce  so  crisp  ? 

The  next  year,  when  Miss  Sue, — the  teacher 
from  the  North,  —  with  the  little  Yankee, 
Tommy,  was  ruling  the  Owlets'  Roost,  she 
one  day  announced  in  the  easy,  offhand 
way  she  had  of  setting  tasks  that  caused 
the  school  to  lift  its  six  hands  in  dismay, 
that  each  pupil  should  write,  within  a  lim- 
ited time,  a  composition  on  a  subject  of  his 
own  choosing. 

After  a  soul-racking  time  of  indecision, 
during  which  he  suspended  his  pencil  over 
every  conceivable  subject  without  being  able 
to  make  a  scratch,  on  the  very  last  evening 
of  grace,  poor  Gene  sat  down  and  wrote 
about  his  garden,  and  before  he  was  half 
through  telling  about  it,  he  had  discovered 
to  his  astonishment  that  composition  was 
great  fun,  after  all ;  and  not  being  able 
to  write  all  he  knew  about  gardening 
in  one  composition,  he  continued  it  the 


212  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

very  next  time  that  Miss  Sue  gave  him  an 
opportunity. 

During  the  milking  season,  which  began 
with  the  penning  of  the  cattle  in  the  spring, 
and  lasted  through  summer-time,  Gene  had 
a  task  that  was  not  nearly  so  much  to  his 
liking  as  gardening. 

"  Churning  !  I  hate  churning  !  "  he  even 
went  so  far  as  to  declare.  But  that  was 
either  before  or  after  the  churning  season  ; 
when  he  actually  was  at  it  he  made  no  com- 
plaint. Indeed,  from  appearances,  one  might 
judge  that  he  really  liked  it ;  at  least,  he 
made  the  most  of  it. 

He  was  acknowledged  the  champion 
churner  under  the  water-oaks,  with  the 
exception  of  his  father. 

"  I  reckon  nobody  carn't  squeeze  de  milk 
so  dry  lak  yo'  pa.  I  'low  de  shotes  boun' 
miss  de  butta  when  yo'  pa  done  churn  de 
milk,"  was  Nip's  remark. 

"  I  reckon  Nip  is  right,"  Mr.  Lee  laughed, 
when  he  overheard  it. 


BRER'S  RIDE.  213 

The  churning  was  done  immediately  after 
breakfast,  in  the  cool  of  the  morning. 

"  Ready,  Mamma !  "  Gene  would  call ;  and 
Mamma,  with  the  sun-sweetened  skimmer  in 
her  hand,  would  come  down  the  gallery  steps 
in  her  leisurely,  smiling  way,  and  cross  the 
yard  to  the  dairy  under  the  shed  of  the  new 
well. 

When  the  yellow  cream  was  skimmed 
from  the  pans,  and  the  churn  was  filled  and 
in  position  on  a  new  yellow  pine  board,  Gene, 
with  the  proud  air  of  being  monarch  of  all 
he  surveyed,  would  take  his  seat  of  honor 
upon  the  wooden  bench ;  pressing  his  little 
knees  against  the  churn  in  as  close  imita- 
tion of  Papa  as  possible,  or  with  Nip's  small 
legs  clasped  firmly  about  the  base  to  steady 
it,  he  would  begin  the  splash,  splash,  dash, 
splash. 

Truly  a  more  comfortable  or  charming 
spot  for  working  on  a  warm  spring  morning 
it  is  impossible  to  imagine. 


214  UNDEK   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Throughout  the  clearing,  over  the  patches, 
the  air  was  glaring  and  hot,  and  quivering 
with  the  rays  of  the  fierce  Southern  sun ; 
but  upon  the  house  and  the  yard  lay  the 
dense,  grateful  shade  of  the  water-oaks  and 
the  nut-trees,  while  a  cool  breeze  from  the 
distant  bay  swept  softly  under  the  branches, 
playing  lightly  with  Mamma's  hair,  as  she 
sat  rocking  gently  on  the  corner  of  the 
gallery,  with  some  sewing  in  her  hands. 

Under  the  deepest  shade  of  the  largest 
oak  stood  the  dairy  under  the  well-house, 
and  before  it  sat  Gene,  splash-dash-splashing, 
and  casting  a  stern  and  observant  eye  over 
the  premises.  For  as  churning  is  not  an 
all-absorbing  occupation,  during  this  hour 
when  his  position  as  chief  churner  and  only 
man  about  invested  him  with  supreme  au- 
thority,— Papa  and  Brer  being  out  in  the 
patches,  or  in  the  barn,  or  off  cattle-hunting 
in  the  pines,  —  Gene  devoted  his  chief  ener- 
gies to  regulating  affairs  under  the  water- 


BRER'S  RIDE.  215 

oaks,  trying  to  discipline  the  inhabitants 
of  the  yard  into  something  like  orderly 
behavior. 

The  dogs  he  could  manage  easily.  "  Dogs 
had  some  sense."  When  he  ordered  them 
off,  they  went ;  and  they  knew  enough  not 
to  worry  the  tantalizing  cats  in  the  kitchen 
door,  when  he  was  about. 

Chickens,  Susanna  in  particular,  were 
everlasting  torments,  and  refused  to  be  any- 
thing else.  Gene  had  his  sling  in  his  pocket 
and  a  pile  of  "  rocks  "  at  hand,  with  which 
to  protect  Mamma's  plants  on  the  gallery 
from  their  scratching ;  or  if  the  chickens 
became  indifferent  to  his  shots,  he  ordered 
the  girls  to  shoo  them  off.  But  the  girls  ! 
They  were  the  trial  of  the  hour.  The 
endeavor  to  make  them  behave  was  a 
task  that  never  ended.  During  this  hour 
that  Gene  gave  to  butter-making  and  to 
making  them  mind,  the  girls'  mischief  was 
as  irrepressible  as  the  steam  in  the  molasses 


216  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

evaporator  when  a  brisk  fire  crackled  beneath 
it.  Gene  had  no  patience  with  them. 

Two  little  black  orphan  pigs  were  being 
raised  in  the  yard,  who  in  their  grunting  fond- 
ness for  buttermilk  constantly  threatened  to 
overturn  the  churn,  refusing  to  be  quelled 
by  the  vigorous  kicking  of  Gene's  bare  toes. 
As  a  two-edged  punishment,  struck  at  once 
against  the  girls  and  against  the  pigs,  Gene 
commanded  Nip  to  shut  up  the  squealing 
little  creatures  in  the  girls'  playhouse. 

This  was  an  insult  to  the  girls,  but  such  a 
ridiculous  one  that  they  could  not  help  gig- 
gling as  they  peeked  through  the  cracks  at 
the  unwilling  tenants  of  their  playhouse. 

"  Well,"  said  Neal,  at  last,  determined  to 
make  some  condition  on  being  forced  to 
submit  to  this  indignity.  "  If  you  want 
us  to  leave  the  pigs  in  there,  you  're  bound 
to  guess  this  riddle." 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ? "  demanded  Gene, 
churning  away  indifferently. 


BRER'S  RIDE.  217 

"  Now,  Joy,  don't  you  tell !  "  began  Neal, 
her  eyes  wide  and  mysterious.  "  Now,  let 
me  see  —  " 

"  Mind  you  get  it  straight,"  interrupted 
Gene. 

"  Oh,  hush  !  You  mix  me  up.  Oh,  yes  ! 
'  What  makes  more  noise  than  one  pig  under 
a  gate  ?  '  " 

"A  hundred,"  answered  Gene,  promptly. 
"  Run  these  puppies  off,  can't  you  ?  " 

There  were  always  a  half-dozen  or  more 
of  these  short-legged,  curious-eyed  pups  tum- 
bling about  the  yard  and  drifting  toward  the 
churn ;  and  tossing  them  off  on  his  bare  feet 
was  much  like  rolling  peas  uphill. 

The  turkeys,  kept  in  the  yard  until  late  in 
the  day,  lest  they  should  hide  their  nests  in 
the  woods,  were  no  trouble  at  all ;  they  were 
only  amusing,  as  they  manoeuvred  in  stately 
circles,  or  halted  in  gobbling  chorus.  Some- 
times a  strategic  movement  would  result  in 
the  discovery  of  a  snake,  around  which  they 


218  UNDER   THE    WATLR-OAKS. 

would  draw  their  lines  in  closer  and  closer 
circles,  tiptoeing  with  the  greatest  caution, 
cocking  upon  the  squirming  enemy  first  one 
eye,  then  the  other,  and  questioning  one  an- 
other with  the  liveliest  concern  with  regard 
to  its  probable  nature.  "  Look  out !  See  it  ? 
See  it !  Peek  !  Peek  ?  Peek  !  Peek  !  " 

This  cry  of  course  would  summon  Gene 
from  the  churn,  which  he  would  surrender 
to  the  girls  with  stern  charges  not  to  whip 
the  butter  back  nor  to  upset  the  churn,  while 
he  marched  manfully  off  to  despatch  the  in- 
truding reptile  and  relieve  the  anxiety  of 
the  turkeys. 

On  the  whole,  the  churning  hour  was 
rather  interesting  to  all  concerned,  especially 
at  the  close,  when  buttermilk  was  served. 

Indeed,  compared  with  Brer's  work,  churn- 
ing was  mere  sport.  Gene  never  would  have 
felt  the  least  twinge  of  the  envy  that  some- 
times caused  him  to  watch  with  longing  eyes 
Brer's  departure  with  his  father,  had  he 


BRER'S  RIDE.  219 

known  what  it  was  to  "  rope  calves  "  or  to 
"  cow-hunt." 

To  be  sure,  Brer  had  ample  compensation 
for  his  harder  work  in  his  added  sense  of 
dignity  from  association  with  his  father  and 
the  other  men.  Still,  it  was  right  hard  for  a 
little  fellow  —  Mr.  Lee  himself  acknowledged 
that  —  to  tumble  out  of  bed  at  the  first  pale 
glimmer  of  dawn,  and  go  out  through  the 
warm  moist  air  to  the  steaming  cow-pen, 
to  rope  the  hungry  calves  while  Papa  took 
his  share  of  milk  from  the  shrivelled  bags  of 
the  poor  piney-woods  cows ;  but  Brer  did 
this  every  morning  after  the  cows  began  to 
come  up.  At  first  he  used  to  become  dizzy 
from  faintness ;  but  his  father  would  catch 
him  up  and  lay  him  upon  a  board  that  was 
placed  for  the  purpose  across  the  corner  of 
the  rail  fence,  and  leave  him  to  come  to  him- 
self while  he  went  on  to  finish  the  milking 
before  "  sun-up." 

In  addition  to  his  work  in  the  pen,  this 


220  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

year,  for  the  first  time,  Brer  rode  with  the 
cow-drivers  through  the  woods. 

Mr.  Lee  was  a  good  herdsman  and  a  good 
shepherd.  He  knew  at  a  glance  every  one 
of  his  cattle  that  ranged  through  the  piney 
woods ;  and  he  remembered  the  face  of  every 
woolly  back,  though  the  sheep  —  aside  from 
the  one  flock  that  slept  under  the  cedar- 
grove  —  never  approached  the  clearing  ex- 
cept once  a  year,  when  they  were  gathered 
from  far  and  near  for  the  shearing. 

Brer,  however,  and  the  other  children  — 
except,  of  course,  Nip  —  could  not  tell  their 
papa's  cattle  from  those  of  Cousin  Will  or 
Uncle  Jim,  except  for  the  brand  ;  and  to 
them  the  sheep  looked  as  much  alike  as  so 
many  cotton-bolls. 

It  was  Mr.  Lee's  wish  that  Brer  should 
become  more  familiar  with  the  herds  and 
flocks.  "  So  if  anything  should  happen  to 
me,  my  son,  you  would  know  how  to  man- 
age for  your  mother  and  sisters,"  he  said. 


BEER'S  HIDE.  221 

Accordingly,  while  still  in  knee-breeches, 
Brer  mounted  old  Nag  and  rode  off  with 
the  men. 

Unlike  bear-hunting  and  deer-hunting, 
cow-hunting  is  no  sport.  It  is  downright 
hard  work,  calling  for  great  endurance  of 
hunger  and  fatigue,  and  for  much  patience 
in  driving  stubborn  cattle. 

At  an  appointed  time,  the  hunters  —  Un- 
cle Jim,  Cousin  Will,  and  the  other  piney- 
woodsmen  —  meet  at  the  Water- Oaks,  or  at 
some  other  homestead  clearing,  and  separat- 
ing in  companies  of  twos  and  threes,  scour 
the  woods  in  all  directions. 

At  night,  each  company  drive  such  cattle 
as  they  have  found,  without  regard  to  brands, 
into  the  pen  of  the  most  convenient  clearing, 
often  the  hunters  themselves  remaining  at 
the  homestead  of  that  clearing  over  night, 
to  spare  themselves  and  horses  unnecessary 
travel.  The  next  morning  they  go  forth 
again,  sometimes  for  a  half-dozen  successive 


222  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

mornings,  until  all  the  cattle  are  penned. 
Then,  in  turn,  all  the  pens  are  visited,  each 
driver  claiming  and  branding  his  own  cat- 
tle, and  if  he  so  chooses,  separating  them 
from  the  others  to  drive  to  his  own  cow- 
pen.  By  the  time  that  this  is  all  accom- 
plished, the  hunters  are  pretty  thoroughly 
exhausted. 

"  I  don't  know  how  the  rest  of  you  feel 
about  it,  but  for  my  part  I  'm  right  glad 
I'm  bound  for  home  to-morrow,  instead  of 
for  the  woods,'*  exclaimed  Uncle  Jim,  on 
the  last  evening  of  the  hunt. 

He  and  Cousin  Will  were  sitting  with  the 
family  at  the  tea-table  on  the  cool  gallery, 
helping  themselves  to  the  bountiful  supply  of 
bacon  and  hominy,  corn-pone  and  molasses. 

"  It 's  been  a  right  jolly  hunt  for  me,  sure," 
said  Cousin  Will,  reaching  for  the  molasses- 
pitcher.  "  I  'm  mighty  lucky  this  year.  I  've 
lost  only  two  critters,  and  I  've  a  right  smart 
lot  of  young  calves." 


BRER'S  RIDE.  223 

"  It 's  been  a  lucky  winter  all  round  the 
piney-woods  for  cattle,"  remarked  Mr.  Lee. 
"  I  've  only  missed  one  cow-beast,  and  I  'm 
sure  I  sighted  her  not  two  weeks  ago,  at  the 
head  of  Bay  River,  too.  Unless  she  's  stuck 
in  the  swamp,  she  must  be  alive  somewhere, 
with  all  this  new  grass  to  eat.  I  've  a  no- 
tion to  make  another  day  of  it  with  Brer, 
and  hunt  her  up." 

"  You  'd  best,  if  it 's  that  pied  cow  you 
were  telling  of ;  she 's  worth  the  time.  And 
I  'd  trust  you,  Bud,  if  you  found  nothing  but 
a  bag  of  bones,  to  put  life  into  them." 
Cousin  Will  pushed  back  his  chair,  with  a 
teasing  laugh. 

"  Yes,  Bud  has  sense  enough  to  keep  what 
he 's  got,"  said  Uncle  Jim.  "  He  is  n't  go- 
ing to  leave  half  the  butter  in  the  milk  for 
the  hogs,  either." 

"  You  're  right  there,  boys ;  I  prefer  to 
keep  the  butter  for  nearer  kin,"  retorted 
Mr.  Lee,  with  a  good-natured  twinkle  in  his 


224  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

eye.  "  If  I  do  squeeze  the  milk  for  the 
butter,  there  are  those  who  like  to  eat  the 
butter,  and  they  are  right  welcome  to  it," 
he  added,  not  in  the  least  offended  by  their 
teasing  reference  to  his  well-known  habits 
of  close  economy  and  thrift. 

"  I  'm  mighty  glad  you  feel  that  way, 
Bud,"  called  Cousin  Will,  strolling  to  the 
other  end  of  the  gallery  to  light  his  pipe ; 
"  for  I  'm  bound  to  drop  in  every  time  the 
wind  blows  toward  the  Water-Oaks.  A  cup 
of  Lyla's  coffee  and  a  filling  of  her  potato- 
pone  are  necessary  once  a  month  to  keep  me 
going." 

"  If  you  say  so,  Bud,  I  '11  stay  over  and 
help  hunt  that  cow,"  said  Uncle  Jim,  as  he 
rose  and  drew  his  tobacco-pouch  from  his 
pocket. 

"  Oh,  no ;  just  as  much  obliged,  but  Brer 
and  I  can  manage  first-rate,  I  reckon." 

Early  the  next  morning  Uncle  Jim  and 
Cousin  Will  started  for  their  homes  on  the 


BRER'S  RIDE.  225 

Bay,  driving  before  them  such  cattle  as  they 
chose  to  milk  during  the  summer. 

Mr.  Lee  and  Brer  rode  off  too,  but  in  an 
opposite  direction.  They  turned  their  horses' 
heads  toward  the  source  of  Bay  River,  and 
rode  at  a  comfortable  pace  along  the  bridle- 
path. 

The  distance  before  them  was  long  to  the 
spot  where  Mr.  Lee  had  last  seen  the  pied 
cow ;  but  they  had  the  whole  day  for  the 
hunt,  and  Jinny  and  Nag,  having  been  jog- 
ging steadily  all  the  week,  were  disposed  to 
take  their  own  time. 

Toward  noon,  thunder-heads  lifted  above 
the  pines  in  the  far  northwest,  and  the  low 
mutterings  of  a  storm  sounded  in  the  dis- 
tance ;  but  the  clouds  having  threatened  in 
this  way  every  day  of  the  past  week,  and 
then  drifted  around  the  hunters  to  empty 
their  contents  on  some  distant  portion  of 
the  piney  woods,  Mr.  Lee  and  Brer  rode  on 
in  careless  unconcern  of  the  weather-signs. 

15 


226  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

They  were  as  silent  as  two  Indians,  as  they 
rode  over  the  rounded  knolls  and  sunny  hol- 
lows of  the  open  piney  woods,  across  rough 
bowlder-strewed  ledges,  along  the  densely 
wooded  course  of  winding  branches,  or 
paused  a  moment  in  the  rippling  fords 
while  Jinny  and  Nag  thrust  their  noses  into 
the  clear  water.  With  no  sound  to  disturb 
the  ceaseless  swishing  of  the  pines  overhead, 
save  the  steady  trot,  trot,  trot,  of  their  horses, 
the  occasional  sweet  call  of  the  meadow-lark 
in  the  sunny  distance,  and  once  the  chopping 
of  a  woodman's  axe,  they  passed  through  the 
long  distances  of  the  woods,  over  Gum-Tree 
Branch,  across  the  resin-coated  ground  of  the 
deserted  turpentine  still,  past  the  deserted 
Holly  place,  with  its  open  doors  and  fallen 
fences,  near  a  cluster  of  silent  negro  cabins 
with  the  tall,  lone  chimney  beyond  them, 
marking  the  abandoned  hearthstone  of  an 
old  house. 

Brer  and  Nag,  following,  jogged  indiffer- 


BRER'S  RIDE.  227 

ently  along.  Jinny,  however,  leading  the 
way,  was  wide  awake,  picking  careful  steps 
along  the  rain-washed  trail,  or  over  or 
around  a  fallen  tree  that  blocked  the  path ; 
while  Mr.  Lee,  erect  and  intent,  with  keen 
eye,  glanced  sharply  on  every  side  for  traces 
of  the  pied  cow,  or  for  tracks  of  "  varmint," 
—  enemies  to  his  flocks  and  herds. 

"  Ah !  "  he  exclaimed  at  last,  bringing 
Jinny  to  an  abrupt  standstill.  "  Look  yon- 
der ! "  He  pointed  upward ;  and  Brer,  fol- 
lowing his  finger,  after  a  moment  of  intent 
gazing,  perceived  a  black  speck  up  in  the 
sky  that,  as  he  watched,  grew  gradually 
larger,  descending  into  plain  sight,  at  last, 
as  a  large  long-winged  buzzard. 

"  Look  yonder  !  "he  cried  again,  as  more 
soaring  specks  appeared,  seemingly  from  out 
the  blue,  and  slowly  dropped  into  view. 

"  They  're  making  for  the  swamp,  sure. 
We  're  too  late  to  find  the  pied  cow.  It 
looks  like  the  fire  had  driven  her  into 


228  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

the  swamp,  and  the  poor  critter  had  n't 
strength  to  pull  herself  out.  Go  'long, 
Jinny."  As  they  rode  forward,  the  region 
about  the  head  of  the  river  showed,  by  its 
blackened  surface  just  beginning  to  brighten 
with  the  green  tips  of  piercing  grass-blades, 
that  the  woods  here  had  just  burned. 

Having  approached  the  thicket  of  the 
spring,  Mr.  Lee  threw  himself  from  Jinny, 
and  handing  the  bridle  to  Brer,  carefully 
examined  the  soft  mud  of  the  various  paths 
that  led  under  the  thick  underbrush  of  the 
swamp.  He  disappeared  from  view ;  but 
Brer  could  hear  the  breaking  of  twigs  and 
swinging  of  branches  as  his  father  pushed 
his  way  through  the  dense,  tangled  bushes. 
He  also  could  hear  a  significant  sound  that 
he  knew  well,  —  the  slow  flapping  of  the 
clumsy  buzzards  as  they  settled  about  the 
tempting  feast  that  had  drawn  them  down 
from  the  sky. 

He  was  tired  of  the  saddle,  and  thirsty,  so 


BRER'S  RIDE.  229 

he  dismounted ;  and  having  tied  the  horses 
to  a  couple  of  gum-trees,  he  went  down  the 
path  to  the  spring,  where  the  water  was 
always  cool  and  sweet,  under  the  white- 
stemmed  magnolia-tree  that  shaded  it  and 
furnished  a  liberal  supply  of  thick,  shiny 
leaves  for  drinking-cups.  He  lingered  a 
few  moments  in  the  delicious  coolness,  care- 
lessly cutting  his  mark  in  the  soft  bark  of 
the  tree,  while  he  vaguely  wondered  at  the 
intense  gloom  of  the  place  that  the  shade  of 
the  trees  seemed  hardly  sufficient  to  cause. 

Presently  his  father  called  him. 

"Son!     Son!" 

"  Ho !  "  answered  Brer,  promptly. 

Running  back  to  the  horses,  he  found  his 
father  already  mounted  on  Jinny,  and  with 
Nag's  bridle  in  his  hand. 

"  Look  sharp ! "  said  Mr.  Lee,  who  was 
anxiously  scanning  the  sky.  "  The  cow  is 
swamped,  and  the  buzzards  have  got  her, 
and  we  're  in  for  a  good  wetting.  We  '11 


230  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

make  for  old  man  Johnson's  clearing.  Keep 
Nag  up  right  close,  now." 

Brer  sprang  to  Nag's  back,  and  the  old 
horse  instantly  wheeled  about  and  galloped 
rapidly  after  Jinny,  who,  under  Mr.  Lee's 
careful  guidance,  wound  nimbly  among  the 
pines,  springing  lightly  over  fallen  logs  and 
avoiding  sink-holes  in  a  way  astonishing, 
had  not  her  rider  been  almost  as  familiar 
with  every  foot  of  piney-woods  ground  as 
with  his  own  particular  clearing  under  the 
water-oaks. 

But  the  swift-coming  storm  was  already 
upon  them.  The  pine-tops  were  swaying 
and  moaning  restlessly  in  the  rising  wind; 
dense  clouds  were  pressing  heavily  down, 
filling  the  woods  with  a  gloom  that  was  all 
a-quiver  with  lightning-flashes ;  the  rolling 
of  thunder  broke  into  startling  crashes,  and 
large  rain-drops  were  already  falling. 

"  Look  sharp !  "  shouted  Mr.  Lee  over  his 
shoulder,  urging  Jinny  to  greater  speed,  for 


BRER'S  RIDE.  231 

he  well  knew  the  dangers  from  falling  trees 
in  a  storm. 

The  storm  rapidly  increased  in  fury ;  great 
trees  swayed  threateningly ;  the  rain  swept 
down  in  sheets,  soaking  to  the  skin,  and 
blinding  both  horses  and  riders.  It  was 
impossible  to  make  headway  in  such  con- 
fusion. 

Mr.  Lee  suddenly  turned  Jinny  into  a  sap- 
ling thicket  and  brought  her  to  a  standstill 
under  the  partial  shelter  of  the  young  trees. 
Nag  carried  Brer  close  alongside.  Then  they 
waited,  facing  the  storm,  with  their  hats 
pulled  over  their  eyes  and  their  shoulders 
drawn  shrinkingly  up,  for  the  tempest  to 
spend  its  fury.  The  uproar  was  terrific. 
The  thunder  rolled  and  rattled  and  crashed ; 
one  dazzling  flash  of  lightning  instantly  fol- 
lowed another ;  the  rain  beat  upon  them 
pitilessly,  swirled  and  dashed  against  them 
from  every  direction  by  the  wind-tossed 
saplings. 


232  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Shrinking  from  the  flooding,  smothering 
rain,  Brer  wondered  why  his  father  had 
not  sought  shelter  behind  some  huge  pine ; 
but,  as  he  grumbled  to  himself,  came  the 
prompt  and  emphatic  answer,  as  if  he  had 
spoken.  A  sharp  tearing  and  crackling 
sounded  close  at  hand,  followed  by  a  loud, 
stunning  thud  that  shook  the  very  ground, 
and  caused  both  horses  to  spring  in  terror. 
Brer  almost  fell  from  his  saddle,  but  he 
recovered  himself,  and  managed  to  keep 
hold  of  the  bridle.  Nag  at  once  stood 
still,  though  Brer  could  feel  her  trembling 
under  him.  It  was  a  falling  tree.  Brer 
had  heard  the  sound  many  times,  but  always 
from  a  distance. 

"A  mighty  close  call,"  shouted  Mr.  Lee, 
bringing  Jinny  back  to  Nag's  side,  "  but 
we  're  one  tree  safer." 

"  Lightning  struck  ?  "  yelled  Brer. 

"  No,  a  rotten  —     Lor  !  " 

There  was  a  dazzling  flash ;  a  frightful, 


BRER'S  RIDE.  233 

tearing  crash.  It  seemed  to  Brer  as  if  the 
very  heavens  were  shattering  and  falling 
upon  them.  He  instinctively  fell  forward 
upon  Nag's  neck;  none  too  soon,  for  with 
a  snort  and  a  bound  of  terror,  the  old  horse 
seized  the  bit,  and  dashed  madly  into  the 
forest  and  the  raging  storm.  Clinging  des- 
perately about  her  neck,  and  pressing  closely 
with  his  body,  Brer  closed  his  eyes  and 
held  his  breath  in  dreadful  expectation  that 
the  next  instant  he  would  be  dashed  against 
a  pine-tree  or  crushed  beneath  Nag  in  a 
sink-hole.  But  on  and  on  and  on  they 
dashed,  up  a*nd  down,  and  through  splash- 
ing water.  Brer  could  not  think,  he  could 
not  even  care,  where  Nag  was  taking  him. 
He  felt  as  if  he  were  being  whirled  through 
a  horrible,  maddening  dream — and  suddenly 
came  the  end,  as  startling  as  the  fall  from  a 
nightmare  into  a  bed  of  down. 

In   a   sickening   second    he   felt    himself 
torn  from  the  saddle  ;  but  when  he  instinc- 


234  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

tively  nerved  himself  for  a  shock,  nothing 
followed. 

Surely  this  was  a  dream.  He  felt  about 
timidly  at  first,  then  he  struck  out  wildly 
in  vain  attempts  to  grasp  something  with 
hands  or  feet,  but,  strangely,  there  was 
nothing. 

"  Doan  flounder  'roun'  so  lak  a  turtle," 
remonstrated  a  gasping  voice  above  him. 

Brer  opened  his  eyes,  expecting  to  see  Nip 
astride  the  footboard.  But  no,  he  was  not 
in  bed ;  he  was  somewhere  out  in  the  piney 
woods.  He  was  suspended  in  some  way, 
face  downward.  All  he  could  see  was  a 
narrow  water-filled  trail,  running  through 
the  pine-straw  a  few  feet  below. 

"  Watch  out  whar  yo'  gwine  strike ;  I 's 
boun'  drap  yo',"  said  the  breathless  voice 
again. 

Brer  chose  the  dryest-looking  spot  beneath 
him,  and  came  down  lightly  on  his  hands 
and  bare  feet.  He  was  up  like  a  spring  ; 


BRER'S  RIDE.  235 

and  looking  above,  he  spied  Nip's  lithe  figure 
pulling  itself  up  on  a  leafy  branch. 

"  Is  that  you,  Nip  ? "  he  asked,  still 
stunned  by  his  tempestuous  ride,  and  hardly 
venturing  to  believe  his  senses. 

"  I  reckon  dis  nigger  am  Nip,"  replied  the 
voice. 

"  What  you  doing  up  there  in  this  wet  ?  " 

"I's  a-comin'  down,  Brer." 

The  rain  had  stopped  as  suddenly  as  it 
had  begun.  The  clouds  were  blown  over, 
and  the  wind  that  drove  them  was  gone. 
The  sun  had  burst  forth  warmly  upon  the 
fresh,  dripping  woods. 

Nip  came  down  with  a  shower  of  drops. 

"  Does  yo'  reckon  Nag 's  done  kilt  herself, 
Brer?"  he  asked. 

"  I  don't  know.  Where  is  she  ?  Come 
on  ;  we  '11  follow  her  up.  Where  are  we, 
anyway  ?  " 

Brer  was  thoroughly  bewildered. 

"Yer  we  is,  under  de  'simmon-tree." 


236  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Brer  gazed  about  in  amazement.  Sure 
enough,  here  he  was  on  the  very  edge  of 
the  water-oak  clearing.  Nag  had  come 
straight  for  home  by  the  trail  they  had 
travelled  in  the  morning. 

"  Oh,  Nag 's  safe  and  sound  in  the  barn, 
I  reckon,"  he  exclaimed  in  relief. 

"  I  reckon  ole  Nag 's  so  scart  she  doan 
see  de  washout  in  de  gully,  case  I  done 
hear  her  yell  lak  she  done  fall  right  in." 

"  The  trail  washed  into  the  gully !  Then 
she  's  bound  to  be  down." 

They  ran  along  the  wet  trail  to  the  head 
of  the  gully.  The  broad  overhanging  edgo 
across  which  the  trail  ran  had  broken  off 
abruptly,  and  carried  to  the  depths  below 
the  cluster  of  saplings  that  had  grown 
upon  it. 

Poor  Nag,  alas !  had  been  too  frenzied 
to  notice  the  break  in  the  trail,  for  there 
she  lay,  quite  on  the  other  side  of  the  gully 
bottom. 


BRER'S  RIDE.  237 

u  She  was  going  so  fast  she  just  flew  right 
across,  and  came  whack !  head-first,  against 
that  far  side,"  cried  Brer. 

"  I  reckon  ole  Nag  done  broke  her-all 
neck,"  said  Nip,  as  they  made  their  way 
down  through  the  wet  sand. 

He  was  right.  The  horse's  head  was  bent 
sideways  right  under  the  body,  and  she  was 
quite  dead. 

"What '11  Papa  say?"  lamented  Brer. 

"  I  reckon  he  's  boun'  feel  right  bad  'bout 
ole  Nag,"  said  Nip,  ruefully. 

"I  hope  he 's  all  right."  Brer  looked  anx- 
iously up  to  the  edge  of  the  gully.  "  Come 
on  !  I  never  thought ;  Jinny  's  bound  to  do 
just  like  old  Nag." 

"  Miss  Lee  doan  ride  wiv  his  eyes  shut," 
said  Nip,  reassuringly,  as  they  climbed  hur- 
riedly up. 

"  But  he  might  be  on  the  watch-out  for 
me  —  There  he  is  !  Papa  /  Here  ;  all 
right!" 


238  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Mr.  Lee  had  checked  Jinny  on  the  very 
edge  of  the  gully,  whence  he  was  gazing 
down  at  Nag's  body  with  a  horror-stricken 
face. 

At  Brer's  call,  he  answered  with  a  hoarse 
cry  of  relief,  and  then  he  slowly  dismounted 
as  if  he  had  been  bound  by  some  dreadful 
spell. 

"  Thank  God  ! "  he  exclaimed  devoutly, 
when  Brer  appeared  over  the  edge  of  the 
gully.  "  I  thought  sure  you  were  lying  under 
Nag  down  yonder.  How  did  you  escape  ? " 

"Why,  I — I  do'  know.    Nip  grabbed  me." 

"  Nip  grabbed  you  !  How  in  this  world 
could  he  do  that?" 

"  I  do'  know.  The  first  thing  I  knew, 
Nag  was  gone,  and  I  was  swinging  in  air. 
Then  in  a  minute  Nip  let  go,  and  I  came 
down  to  ground." 

"  But  where  was  Nip  ?  " 

"  He  was  in  the  persimmon-tree,  and 
when  Nag  came  a-tearing  along  the  trail 


BRER'S  RIDE.  239 

under  that  long  branch,  he  just —  I  say, 
Nip,  how  'd  you  manage  to  keep  a  grip  on 
the  tree?" 

"  I  dunno,  Brer.  I  jes'  twis'  my  legs 
roun'  lak  I  does  in  de  water-oaks." 

"  Did  n't  it  almost  yank  you  in  pieces  to 
pull  him  off?"  asked  Mr.  Lee. 

"  Teard  lak  Brer  ain't  gwine  let  ole  Nag 
go,  an'  I  'lowed  I 's  gwine  'long  wiv  Nag 
an'  Brer  into  de  gully  an'  leave  my  legs 
behind  ;  but  Brer,  he  done  'cide  to  'bide  wiv 
me,  so  I  doan  dis'point  Neal  an'  tote  her  de 
dewberries  w'at  I  promis'  her." 

"  So  you  were  out  after  dewberries,  were 
you,  when  the  rain  came  on  ?  That 's  how 
you  happened  to  see  the  washout." 

"Yas,  sah." 

"  How  'd  you  happen  to  be  up  in  the 
persimmon-tree  ? " 

"  I  'lowed  de  fiah  ain't  gwine  run  down 
from  de  sky  on  a  'simmon-tree,  de  pine-trees 
a-reachin'  up  so  high  fo'  it." 


240  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  And  when  you  saw  old  Nag  a-thundering 
along,  you  just  swung  under  and  caught 
onto  me ! " 

"  It 's  right  lucky  for  you  —  for  all  of  us 
—  that  Nip  happened  to  be  up  there  and 
had  the  grip  to  hold  you,  else  you  'd  be 
down  there  with  poor  Nag  this  minute." 
Mr.  Lee  spoke  very  soberly ;  but  he  roused 
himself  in  a  moment.  "  Come,  we  must 
get  that  saddle  and  bridle  off,  and  hurry 
home  to  your  mother ;  she  '11  be  worried 
about  us." 

The  fact  that  Nip  had  saved  Brer's  life 
was  fully  appreciated  by  the  people  under 
the  water-oaks,  as  they  showed  by  special 
kindness  to  him ;  they  were  very  grateful, 
but  no  one  thought  it  necessary  to  say  so, 
Nip  himself  least  of  all.  He  understood 
their  feelings  without  ,the  saying,  just  as 
Flo  or  Snap  would  have  understood,  and 
he  was  perfectly  satisfied.  Perhaps  Neal 
expressed  more  appreciation  of  his  deed 


BRER'S  RIDE.  241 

than  any  one  else.  She  made  him  re- 
late the  occurrence  over  and  over  again : 
where  he  had  found  the  berries ;  how  he 
had  run  when  it  began  to  rain ;  just  how 
he  had  happened  to  go  around  by  the  gully ; 
and  why  he  scrambled  up  into  the  persim- 
mon-tree when  he  heard  that  awful  clap  of 
thunder;  what  he  had  thought  when  he 
heard  Nag  coining,  and  saw  Brer,  —  every- 
thing; she  even  inquired  anxiously  if  his 
joints  were  not  loose. 

"  Papa,"  she  asked,  after  due  considera- 
tion, "  don't  you  think  we  ought  to  give 
Nip  a  collar,  like  Cousin  Will  did  old  dog 
Bishop,  when  he  pulled  little  Lollie  out  of 
the  creek?" 


16 


242  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

GENE    OVERCOMES    OLD    BILLY. 

"  Ow !  "  cried  Gene,  shrinking  as  if  he 
had  been  seized  with  hot  pincers.  "Just 
look  a-here,  what  I  Ve  done,  will  you  ?  It 
makes  me  sick !  " 

Brer  had  just  released  a  sheep  from  the 
shearing-bench,  and  was  watching  with  a 
grin  the  awkward,  shorn,  sheepish  creature, 
embarrassed  by  its  own  lightness,  bound  un- 
certainly back  to  the  flock,  and  huddle  in, 
as  if  to  hide  its  unbecoming  nakedness. 

At  Gene's  outcry,  he  crossed  over  to  his 
bench. 

"  Gee !  I  should  think  it  would  make  you 
sick !  What 's  the  use  of  cutting  into  a 
critter  like  that  ?  " 


GENE    OVERCOMES    OLD    BILLY.          243 

"  If  the  thing  would  squirm,  and  not  lie 
there  like  a  log,  it  would  n't  get  cut  into. 
How  's  a  fellow  to  know  whether  he  's  cut- 
ting skin  or  wool  ?  I  don't  believe  a  sheep 
would  budge  if  I  cut  its  leg  off  !  "  exclaimed 
Gene.  "  I  'd  hate  to  be  a  sheep,  without  a 
spark  of  spirit !  " 

"  Suppose  you  catch  a  sheep,  and  let  your 
brother  finish  shearing  that  one,"  said  Mr. 
Lee,  crossing  from  his  own  bench  to  exam- 
ine Gene's  work.  "  You  have  managed  to 
cut  that  poor  thing  up  pretty  badly,  I 
declare.  Here,  catch  me  that  ewe  yonder." 

Gene  made  a  dash  that  scattered  the  flock, 
and  clutching  the  ewe  by  its  wool,  held  it 
with  a  determined  grip,  though  the  fright- 
ened creature  dragged  him  all  about  the  pen 
in  its  efforts  to  escape. 

"  Come  and  get  her,  Papa,"  he  cried, 
between  his  teeth.  Then  addressing  the 
struggling  sheep,  he  muttered,  "  No,  you 
don't!  You  just  stay  where  you  are." 


244  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  Hold  on !  Don't  let  her  get  away  with 
you ! "  cried  Mr.  Lee,  who  with  Brer  was 
stopping  work  to  enjoy  the  tussle.  "  Here 
you  are,  old  sheep !  You  might  as  well  give 
up  first  as  last  when  Gene  gets  hold  of  you." 

He  lifted  the  sheep  easily,  stretched  it  on 
the  bench,  and  deftly  secured  its  crossed  fore- 
legs under  a  nicely  contrived  strap,  while 
Nip  fastened  the  hind-legs  in  the  same  way. 

Gene  sat  panting  on  an  inverted  nail-keg. 
"That  ewe's  mighty  strong,"  he  gasped, 
"  but  I  was  just  bound  to  keep  her." 

The  open  centre  of  the  new  barn  had  been 
transformed  into  a  sheep-pen.  A  shearing- 
bench  had  been  built  across  one  end,  and  a 
fence  at  the  rear  enclosed  considerable  space, 
confining  the  sheep  convenient  for  catching. 
The  barn  was  shady  and  comfortable,  with 
a  cooling  current  of  air  drawing  constantly 
through  it,  making  it  a  pleasant  working- 
place  even  on  a  day  too  dazzling  to  be  looked 
at  and  too  warm  for  gathering  peaches. 


GENE    OVEKCOMES    OLD    BILLY.  245 

At  times  the  entire  family  assembled  here, 
even  Mamma  with  the  rest,  a  great  apron 
over  her  dress,  over-sleeves  on  her  arms, 
shearing,  shearing,  shearing,  the  heavy  fleeces 
from  the  panting,  pink-skinned  sheep. 

Nip's  place  was  on  the  shearing-bench, 
where  it  was  his  business  to  aid  in  strapping 
the  captured  sheep,  keep  track  of  the  shears, 
and  carry  off  the  fleeces  when  they  were 
taken  from  the  uncomplaining  sheep. 

Neal  and  Joy  were  on  the  bench  too,  fidget- 
ing about,  and  running  slyly  from  one  end 
to  the  other  for  something  that  they  had  for- 
gotten, and  that  they  must  have  on  the  in- 
stant. They  were  trying  hard  to  keep  still, 
—  oh,  yes,  desperately  hard,  for  the  per- 
mission to  stay  up  there  was  good  only  so 
long  as  they  did  not  bother.  If  Brer  and 
Gene  had  not  been  so  fussy  there  would  not 
have  been  the  least  trouble,  but  the  boys 
always  were  picking  at  them,  poor  things ! 
Papa  and  Mamma  did  not  mind  their  fun,  and 


246  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Mamma,  when  she  was  helping  Gene  shear, 
always  let  them  pet  the  poor  tied  sheep, 
keeping  so  nice  and  still. 

"  You  're  such  a  fine  sheep-catcher,  sup- 
pose you  catch  one  for  me.  I  'm  about 
through  with  this  fellow,"  said  Brer,  who 
was  clipping  away  with  all  his  might,  for  it 
was  his  ambition  to  shear  as  many  sheep  a 
day  as  his  father.  Already  he  could  shear 
as  many  as  Cousin  Will,  for  he  was  wonder- 
fully skilful  with  the  clippers ;  and  each 
day  he  increased  his  number.  Gene  pounced 
upon  a  black  ewe;  and  after  the  usual  scurry 
about  the  pen,  amid  the  excited  screaming 
of  Neal  and  Joy,  he  brought  it  triumphantly 
to  Brer's  bench. 

"  There's  some  fun  in  that,"  he  exclaimed, 
drawing  a  long  breath  of  satisfaction  when  he 
had  helped  Brer  to  lift  and  strap  the  sheep. 

"  I  'd  a  heap  rather  chase  them  than  clip, 
clip,  clip,  snip,  snip,  snip,  cutting  great 
streaks  out  of  them,  and  they  having  no 


GENE   OVERCOMES    OLD    BILLY.          247 

more  sense  than  to  let  me.  Ugh !  it  makes 
my  flesh  creep." 

"  Suppose  you  do  all  the  catching,  then, 
and  let  those  that  know  the  difference  be- 
tween wool  and  mutton  do  the  shearing," 
suggested  Brer. 

"All  right,  if  you  and  Papa  '11  give  me  a 
cent  for  every  one  I  catch,"  agreed  Gene. 

"  I  '11  do  it  if  Papa  will.  Shall  we,  Papa  ? " 
asked  cautious  Brer. 

"  Yes,  it 's  a  bargain.  Fetch  me  old  Billy, 
Gene,  while  I  finish  this  one." 

Billy  was  an  old  merino  ram  who  had 
once  been  a  pet  under  the  water-oaks,  but 
at  last  he  had  wandered  off  with  the  flock. 
He  soon  had  forgotten  his  old  play-fellows, 
for  when  he  had  spent  a  year  in  the  woods 
and  came  back  at  the  shearing  season,  he  re- 
fused to  take  the  least  notice  of  the  children ; 
and  when  they  made  friendly  advances,  he 
received  them  with  a  sullen  lowering  of  his 
immense  spiral  horns. 


248  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

Billy  did  not  like  the  shearing  any  more 
than  the  other  sheep,  and  he  had  been  stand- 
ing all  the  morning  with  his  head  thrust 
gloomily  into  a  corner,  casting* angry  sheep's- 
eyes  whenever  a  raid  was  made  upon  the 
flock  for  another  victim. 

He  always  made  fierce  resistance  when  his 
turn  came,  and  Mr.  Lee  had  no  idea  that 
Gene  would  make  an  attempt  to  catch  the 
ugly-tempered  animal. 

Gene,  however,  having  made  a  bargain, 
had  no  idea  of  backing  out  of  it  the  very 
first  thing. 

Billy  was  rather  small,  but  he  was  very 
strong.  It  sometimes  was  as  much  as  Mr. 
Lee  himself  could  do  to  catch  him  and  strap 
him  down.  The  great  thing  was  to  get  a 
proper  hold  of  him,  to  begin  with. 

Gene  carefully  examined  Billy's  position; 
it  seemed  to  him  that  it  was  very  favorable. 
All  that  he  need  do  was  to  steal  slyly  up, 
land  on  Billy's  back  with  a  quick  spring,  and 


GENE    OVERCOMES    OLD    BILLY.          249 

pull  in  the  sheep's  fore-feet,  so  that  he  would 
be  on  his  knees  before  he  could  move  and. 
bring  those  terrible  horns  into  play. 

Accordingly,  Gene  advanced  as  quietly  as 
possible  among  the  scattering  flock,  pretend- 
ing to  have  his  eye  on  an  old  Roman-nosed 
ewe  that  stood  not  far  behind  the  ram,  for 
he  knew  how  watchful  and  keen  Billy  was. 
If  he  should  have  a  suspicion  that  he  was 
Gene's  object,  the  chance  would  be  lost. 

Gene  was  very  successful  in  getting  quite 
near,  and  he  had  just  spread  himself  for  a 
short  run  and  a  spring, '  when  the  ram 
wheeled  and  darted  forward.  Before  Gene 
could  think,  he  was  lying  flat  on  the  sheep's 
back  with  both  hands  buried  in  the  thick 
wool,  and  with  his  feet  closely  wrapped 
about  Billy's  stout  neck. 

Now  began  a  wild  backward  ride,  that 
was  like  a  dizzy  tangle  of  circles  to  Gene. 
Around  and  around  dashed  Billy,  scattering 
the  astonished  flock  before  him,  tossing  his 


250  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

head  angrily,  prancing  stiffly  on  his  four 
short  legs,  whirling  dizzily  in  vain  effort  to 
throw  his  rider  off,  and  at  last,  having  suc- 
cessfully dodged  Mr.  Lee  and  Brer  in  their 
efforts  to  head  him  off  and  corner  him,  he 
made  a  reckless  dash  at  the  gate ;  and  rising 
with  a  determined  spring,  he  came  stolidly 
down  on  the  other  side. 

"Let  him  go!  "  shouted  Mr.  Lee. 

But  Gene  did  no  such  thing.  He  dug  his 
hands  more  securely  into  the  matted  wool. 
"  Let  him  .go !  "  Not  he,  after  being  served 
such  a  trick !  Billy  might  bolt  over  a  pine- 
top  for  all  he  cared.  He  reckoned  he  could 
stand  it  if  Billy  could.  No,  sir,  he  had  got 
Billy,  and  he  meant  to  keep  him. 

Straight  ahead  into  the  piney  woods  Billy 
dashed,  with  quick,  short  bounds.  Gene  re- 
newed his  clutch  and  lifted  his  head  to  see 
what  path  they  were  leaving  behind  them. 
Ah  !  he  saw.  Billy  was  on  his  way  back  to 
the  pasturing-grounds,  where  he  never  had 


GENE    OVERCOMES  -OLD    BILLY.  251 

been  encumbered  with  such  loads.  But 
Billy's  pasture  was  on  the  far  side  of  Fish 
River,  and  Gene  was  by  no  means  inclined 
to  travel  so  far  from  the  Water-Oaks.  Cau- 
tiously he  lowered  his  feet,  and  gradually 
worked. up  to  a  sitting  posture.  The  sensa- 
tion of  riding  backward  was  very  queer, 
especially  at  Billy's  rough  gait.  But  to  one 
who  had  had  some  experience  with  horses  of 
various  dispositions,  and  also  with  Muley- 
Mule,  it  was  not  impossible  to  keep  one's 
seat,  especially  so  near  the  ground. 

But  although  he  might  stand  the  ride, 
Gene  had  no  desire  to  go  on.  He  could  think 
of  no  possible  way  to  stop  the  ram,  but  at 
least  he  could  bother  him  a  little. 

Securing  a  firmer  grip  of  the  wool  with 
one  hand,  he  reached  carefully  around  with 
the  other  until  he  could  grasp  one  of  Billy's 
horns,  and  pulled  it  backward. 

Billy  jerked  his  head  angrily,  but  Gene  held 
on,  though  the  strain  wrenched  him  severely. 


252  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

The  ram  pranced  fiercely  at  this  fresh  in- 
sult, but  he  was  obliged  to  slacken  his  pace, 
and  presently  Gene  noticed  that  instead  of 
dashing  madly  ahead,  his  course  was  becom- 
ing more  and  more  curved.  He  exerted 
himself  to  pull  the  head  still  farther  aside, 
so  that  Billy,  in  following  his  nose,  made  a 
wide  circuit,  instead  of  moving  so  rapidly 
forward.  The  ram  was  losing  both  spirit 
and  strength  under  the  human  burr  that 
clung  so  persistently  to  his  back,  and  sud- 
denly both  were  pretty  well  knocked  out  of 
him  by  the  blind  force  with  which  he  ran 
against  a  pine-tree.  As  Billy  came  to  an 
abrupt  stop,  and  stood  half  stunned  by  the 
unexpected  blow,  the  thought  flashed  through 
Gene's  head  that,  after  all,  his  trouble  had 
only  begun.  Bringing  Billy  to  a  standstill 
was  all  very  satisfactory,  but  how  in  the 
world  could  he  ever  make  the  stubborn  crea- 
ture go  back  to  the  "Water-Oaks  ? 

Fortunate   things   happen  »in    the    piney 


GENE    OVERCOMES    OLD    BILLY.  253 

woods,  however,  as  well  as  out  in  the  world 
and  in  books.  Just  as  Billy  began  to  re- 
cover from  the  shock,  and  was  showing  very 
plainly,  by  a  series  of  butts  at  the  offend- 
ing tree,  that  his  ugly  temper  was  by  no 
means  subdued,  Gene  heard  the  welcome 
music  of  old  Pete's  voice.  The  old  darky 
was  approaching  along  the  trail  from  which 
Billy's  twisted  horn  had  led  him  astray. 
Old  Pete  was  singing  a  psalm-tune  at  the 
top  of  his  rich,  bass  voice,  emphasizing  it  at 
the  end  of  each  stanza  by  a  prolonged  roar 
and  an  energetic  lurch  of  the  hoe  which  he 
carried.  Although  his  own  uproar  prevented 
his  hearing  Gene's  outcry,  he  quickly  spied 
the  queer  steed  and  his  rider;  for  they  do 
say  a  piney-woods  darky  can  see  through 
the  back  of  his  head,  his  sight  is  so  keen. 

He  ended  his  song  with  a  wild  whoop,  and 
came  hurrying  forward. 

"  Law,  Gene,  what  fo'  yo'  an'  Billy  'way 
out  yer,  behaving  lak  yo'  ain't  got  no  sense  ? 


254  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

What  fo'  doan  yo'  sit  roun'  fo'wa'ds  an'  tell 
yo'  fool  ho'se  he  carn't  butt  no  trail  t'rough  a 
pine-tree  ?  Tears  lak  ole  Billy  boun'  jerk  yo'- 
alls  to  pieces.  Bes'  git  down  from  dat  fine 
ho'se  an'  let  him  root  up  dat  tree  by  hisself." 

"  I  ain't  going  to  get  down.  The  old  thing 
brought  me  here,  and  he  's  got  to  take  me 
home.  I  say,  Pete,  I  wish  you  would  whack 
him  with  that  hoe,  and  make  him  quit  jar- 
ring so." 

"  All  right,  Gene.  Jest  look  out  fo'  yo'- 
alls  legs  an'  I  '11  hoe  his  wool  fo'  him.  Whoa, 
you  Billy-ho'se !  What  fo'  yo'  doin'  Gene 
dat-a-way  ?  I 's  gwine  larn  yo'  some  sense." 

With  this,  Pete  brought  his  hoe  down 
with  a  resounding  blow  on  the  sheep's  side, 
and  dodged  behind  the  pine-tree.  But  Billy 
saw  him,  and  darted  after  him  with  a  speed 
that  caused  old  Pete  to  spin  around  and 
around  before  the  threatening  horns,  and 
almost  flung  Gene  off  by  centrifugal  force. 

"Make   for  home!"   yelled   Gene.      "If 


GENE    OVERCOMES    OLD    BILLY.  255 

you  '11  make  him  follow  you  home,  I  '11  make 
Papa  give  you  a  nickel's  worth  of  tobacco," 
he  gasped. 

"  All  right,  Gene ;  old  Pete  ain't  gwine  lose 
dat  tobac,  suah." 

He  shook  his  hoe  in  the  angry  ram's  face 
and  darted  away,  Billy  bounding  after  him. 
More  than  once  the  old  darky  was  forced  to 
pause  and  circle  around  a  pine-tree,  while  he 
recovered  breath ;  and  twice,  when  Billy 
came  to  a  stubborn  standstill,  as  if  he  half 
suspected  the  game,  Pete  was  obliged  to  stir 
up  his  wrath  with  the  hoe. 

At  last  they  reached  the  clearing,  and 
after  a  moment's  breathing  spell  behind  the 
last  pine,  old  Pete  offered  his  last  insult  to 
Billy  by  tossing  a  pine-burr  into  his  face, 
and  flew  straight  toward  the  barn,  Billy 
leaping  after  him  in  blind  rage. 

Mr.  Lee  had  just  saddled  Jinny  to  give 
chase  to  the  runaways,  when  he  spied  them 
coming  at  full  tilt.  He  directed  Brer  to 


256  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

open  the  gate  of  the  sheep-pen  wide,  while 
he  himself  stood  in  readiness  to  lay  hands 
on  Billy. 

With  a  yell,  old  Pete  rushed  into  the  pen 
and  bounded  to  the  shearing-bench ;  and 
Billy,  regardless  of  everything  but  his  tor- 
mentor, was  drawing  himself  up  to  follow, 
when  Mr.  Lee's  ready  hand  seized  him  and 
brought  him  to  his  knees.  In  an  instant 
Gene  had  slid  down,  and  swept  the  hind-feet 
of  the  ram  off  the  ground ;  and  Billy,  spite 
of  his  struggles,  was  soon  securely  strapped 
down  upon  the  bench.  He  made  two  or 
three  more  efforts  to  escape,  but  finding 
them  futile,  he  fell  back  and  lay  breathing 
heavily. 

Gene  sank  upon  the  nail-keg  and  gave 
vent  to  his  excitement  in  an  hysterical  burst 
of  laughter  and  tears.  They  all  roared  and 
shouted  with  laughter,  but  not  one  shed  a 
tear  with  him,  except  those  that  rose  to  their 
eyes  from  the  distress  of  laughing. 


GENE   OVERCOMES   OLD   BILLY.         257 

"  I  reckon  you  won't  be  so  keen  to  catch 
any  more  sheep,"  laughed  Brer,  holding  his 
sides. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  cried  Gene,  starting  suddenly 
from  his  collapsed  condition.  "  I  'm  going 
to  catch  every  single  one  of  them ! " 

And  so  he  did. 


17 


258  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LITTLE   LAND-LUBBERS    ON    GRANDMA'S    BAY. 

"  OH,  Mamma,  why  can't  we  take  Nip  to 
Grandma's  Bay?"  coaxed  Joy,  nestling  in 
her  mother's  lap  and  twining  her  soft  arms 
about  her  neck.  "Just  this  once ! " 

"  Do  let  him  go,  Mamma ;  Nip  just  ought 
to  see  that  bay.  He  thinks  it 's  nothing  but 
a  pond.  Why  can't  he  go  ?"  begged  Gene. 

"  There  is  no  spare  room  in  the  wagon, 
and  Grandma  expects  only  five  of  us,"  an- 
swered Mrs.  Lee.  Then,  with  a  twinkle  in 
her  eye,  she  suggested,  "  If  one  of  you 
should  stay  here  with  your  father,  to  help 
him  milk  and  churn,  there  would  be  room 
for  Nip." 

This  was  an  exceedingly  awkward  pro- 
posal. The  children  flushed  and  ahemmed, 


LITTLE   LAND-LUBBERS.  259 

but  they  said  never  a  word  for  full  two 
minutes.  They  carefully  avoided  looking  at 
one  another,  their  whole  attention  being 
suddenly  concentrated  upon  the  sweet  and 
juicy  water-melon  of  which  each  held  a 
huge  pink  chunk.  One  not  knowing  that 
they  had  been  indulging  in  the  delights  of 
water-melon  for  a  week,  or  not  having  seen 
the  huge  pile  that  the  boys  had  hauled  in 
from  the  patch  in  the  early  morning  and 
laid  in  the  coolest  corner  of  the  dining- 
room,  might  have  thought  that  they  were  so 
many  little  epicures  enjoying  the  one  melon 
of  the  season,  such  intense  and  critical  de- 
votion did  they  devote  to  their  luscious 
handfuls. 

The  children  were  gathered  about  Mam- 
ma's chair,  —  Neal  and  Joy  and  Nip  on 
the  gallery  floor,  the  two  boys  on  the  steps, 
all  lying  about  in  easy  attitudes,  with  the 
comfortable  air  of  having  nothing  to  do. 
For  at  last  the  busy  time  was  over,  and  the 


260  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

well-earned,  delightful  rest  had  come,  when 
they  could  lounge  all  day  on  the  gallery, 
shaded  from  the  blinding  glare  of  the  sun 
by  the  thick  canopy  of  the  water-oaks,  and 
fanned  by  the  cool,  spicy  breezes  from  Grand- 
ma's Bay. 

They  had  helped  Mamma  prepare  the  fruit 
for  preserving,  and  at  the  same  time  they 
had  managed  to  stow  away  in  their  small 
bodies  an  incredible  quantity  of  honey-burst 
figs,  luscious  peaches,  and  cool  melons.  Such 
congenial  occupation  did  not  interfere  in  the 
least  with  their  chattering;  all  their  plans 
for  Grandma's  Bay  were  made,  and  to-mor- 
row —  why,  they  really  were  going ! 

The  figs  had  been  soured  by  the  last  rain  ; 
but  there  were  still  tempting  peaches  on  the 
trees  and  great  round  melons  in  the  patch. 
These  they  were  willing  to  leave  for  Papa, 
but  Nip  —  they  hated  to  leave  Nip  behind. 

Which  one  of  them  could  be  generous 
enough  to  give  up  that  long-anticipated 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  261 

visit  in  favor  of  Nip  ?  Each  waited  to  give 
the  others  a  chance  to  make  this  praise- 
worthy sacrifice. 

At  last  Neal  asked  rather  doubtfully,  but 
with  a  sly  twinkle,  very  much  like  Mamma's, 
in  her  eye,  — 

"  Would  n't  Grandma  be  dreadfully  dis- 
appointed if  she  should  see  Nip  a-sitting  up 
behind  Papa  instead  of  —  Brer?" 

"  I  reckon  Grandma  will  expect  to  see 
Brer,"  answered  Mamma,  with  a  smile. 

"Or  just  Nip,  instead  of  Gene,  sitting  on 
the  trunk  beside  me  ? "  continued  Neal. 

^  Just  Nip,  instead  of  you,  sitting  on  the 
trunk  beside  me,  you  mean,"  interrupted 
Gene.  "  Why,  Grandma  would  send  you  all 
back  if  you  left  me  behind.  You  'd  just 
better  not  try  it." 

"  Grandma  said  /  must  come.  She  said 
she  reckoned  that  when  I  came  to  the  Bay, 
I  'd  be  as  straight  as  Aunty,"  cried  Neal, 
defiantly. 


262  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  You  'd  better  not  go,  then,  I  can  tell 
you,  Miss.  There  you  sit,  bent  up  like  a 
jack-knife  !  "  exclaimed  Brer. 

Neal  straightened  up  with  a  jerk,  and  sat 
as  upright  and  stiff  as  if  a  cold  iron  rod  had 
been  run  down  her  back. 

"  See  here,  Joy,  seeing  you  're  so  anxious, 
you  might  stay  at  home.  Nip  would  look 
right  pretty,  sitting  up  there  in  Mamma's 
lap.  Grandma  would  n't  miss  such  a  mite 
as  you,"  suggested  Brer. 

"  Yes,  she  would,"  cried  Joy ;  "  would  n't 
she,  Mamma  ?  I  won't  let  Nip  sit  on 
Mamma's  lap." 

"  What  fo'  yo'-alls  w'ar  yo' selves  out  ? " 
here  piped  up  Nip,  who  had  been  eating  his 
juicy  melon  with  unrestrained  gusto,  arid 
listening  to  this  squabble  with  an  air  of 
supreme  unconcern.  "  Nip  ain't  gwine  fool 
'way  his  time  holdin'  on  de  aidge  of  Gram- 
mer's  Bay,  whar  de  suns  an'  de  moons  an' 
de  stars  goes  a-slippin'  down  into  de  wata 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  263 

an'  git  drownded ;  he  gwine  'bide  right  yer 
on  dry  Ian'  an'  watch  out  fo'  de  grapes  to 
git  ripe." 

"  He  is  the  biggest  goose  about  the  Bay, 
Mamma.  He  just  ought  to  go  next  year, 
anyway.  Papa  might  get  old  Pete  to  stay 
with  him,  if  the  dogs  wouldn't  eat  him 
up." 

"  Next  year,  I 's  boun'  cotch  de  ole  ha'nt 
moon  an'  mek  him  tote  me  down  Grammer's 
Bay,"  said  Nip,  looking  up  at  the  silver  boat 
just  gliding  from  behind  a  cloud  into  the 
rosy  sunset  sky. 

"  Then  you  can  go  a-rowing  in  it  on  the 
Bay,"  cried  Neal,  forgetting  her  prim  atti- 
tude, and  bending  her  head  quite  to  the 
gallery  floor  to  catch  a  better  glimpse  of 
the  new-moon  skiff.  "  I  'm  going  to  look 
for  you  every  single  night." 

"  Perhaps  you  '11  see  him  this  year,"  said 
Mr.  Lee,  who  had  come  from  the  orchard 
with  a  hatful  of  peaches,  and  having  seated 


264  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

himself  beside  Mamma,  was  liberally  tossing 
the  pink  balls  to  the  children.  "  I  've  been 
thinking  of  bringing  Uncle  Jim's  Frank 
back  into  the  piney  woods  to  give  him  a 
chance  to  get  over  the  fever.  If  he  comes, 
I  '11  just  hand  Nip  here  over  to  the  man  in 
the  moon,  and  let  him  go  along  down  to  the 
Bay." 

Joy  clapped  her  hands  gleefully. 

"  When  Nip  comes,  we  '11  just  have  heaps 
of  fun,"  she  cried,  as  if  she  had  been  doubt- 
ful of  good  times  without  him. 

The  next  morning,  by  the  light  of  the 
stars  that  seemed  to  have  waited  a  little 
later  than  usual  to  see  them  off,  the  children 
shouted  an  excited  farewell  to  their  dusky 
playfellow,  who,  upside  down  on  the  gate- 
post, was  waving  them  a  parting  salute 
with  his  little  bare  foot.  "  Mind  you  come 
as  soon  as  Papa  lets  you  off,"  was  Brer's 
last  command. 

"  All  right,  Brer.     Yo'-alls  jes'  watch  out 


LITTLE   LAND-LUBBERS.  265 

an*  see  me  come  a-sailin'  down  out  ob  de 
sky  some  fine  night." 

"  I  'm  going  to  watch  every  night  after 
I  say  my  prayers,"  screamed  Joy,  bouncing 
in  her  mother's  arms. 

"  Me  too,"  echoed  Neal,  jogging  along 
behind  on  the  hard  trunk,  between  Brer 
and  Gene. 

But  by  noon,  when  Pacer,  panting  and 
wet  from  his  twenty-mile  pull,  drew  them 
forth  from  the  piney  woods,  and  stopped  at 
Grandma's  gate,  on  the  very  brink  of  the 
blue  sparkling  bay,  all  thoughts  of  Nip  had 
fled  from  their  minds ;  nor  did  they  once 
think  of  him  again  that  day,  and  at  night 
Neal  and  Joy  were  almost  too  tired  to  say 
their  prayers,  and  the  boys  were  too  full  of 
frolic  to  remember  anything. 

As  for  the  days  that  followed,  they  were 
too  full  for  thinking.  To  begin  with,  the 
children  must  explore  Grandma's  premises 
and  the  whole  extensive  playground  of  the 


266  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

Bay  shore,  to  see  if  everything  was  as 
they  had  left  it.  They  examined  with 
critical  eye  the  scuppernong  vine  and  the 
orange  orchard  to  estimate  how  many  bot- 
tles of  wine  Aunty  would  make  this  season, 
and  how  many  bags  of  oranges  would  come 
to  the  Water-Oaks  in  the  fall. 

They  sipped  a  healthful  draught  from 
Sulphur  Spring,  and  rushed  wildly  to  the 
cool,  dark  waters  of  Deep-Hole  to  wash 
the  disagreeable  mineral  taste  from  their 
mouths.  There  were  the  twin  elms  to  be 
visited,  and  their  famous  dam  of  the  run 
in  the  dell. 

After  all  their  haunts  had  been  duly  in- 
spected, they  must  conquer  their  shyness 
and  make  acquaintance  with  the  city  chil- 
dren who  had  come  across  the  Bay  for 
the  summer.  And  then  the  days  were  so 
crowded  with  excitement  and  frolic,  and 
the  nights  were  so  heavy  with  sleep,  that 
there  was  no  opportunity  to  think  of  Nip. 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  267 

But  one  morning  there  was  Nip  sitting  with 
Flo  on  the  steps  of  Grandma's  front  gal- 
lery, gazing  with  soft,  observant  eyes  on 
Grandma's  Bay. 

"  Why,  you  Nip !  "  shouted  Brer,  with 
mingled  joy  and  astonishment.  The  boys, 
rushing  from  their  room  for  their  early 
plunge  in  the  bay,  had  almost  stumbled 
over  the  unexpected  apparitions. 

"  Flo  too  !  "  yelled  Gene,  dancing  about 
on  one  foot  in  his  delight.  "  See,  she  is  n't 
afraid  of  me  down  here  !  " 

Neal  and  Joy  came  pattering  out  in  their 
night-gowns.  Neal  stared  at  Nip  with  great 
round  eyes. 

"  Oh,  Nip,  did  you  come  in  the  moon,  sure 
enough?"  she  demanded. 

"  Where  's  the  moon-man  ?  "  queried  Joy, 
glancing  around. 

"  Why,  there  's  the  man  and  there  's  his 
dog,"  responded  Brer,  roguishly  pointing  to 
Nip  and  Flo.  "  What  are  your  eyes  for, 


268  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

I  'd  like  to  know  ?  If  you  'd  ask  him  where 
he  has  moored  the  moon,  there  'd  be  some 
sense  in  it." 

"  Where  did  you,  at  Grandma's  wharf  ?  " 
innocently  demanded  Joy ;  but  the  next  in- 
stant she  was  shouting  with  the  boys  over 
her  own  foolish  question. 

"  De  moon  done  git  swamp  in  Graminer's 
Bay;  I  done  see  it  go  down,"  announced  Nip, 
who  was  grinning  and  tumbling  all  about  in 
his  delight  at  being  again  with  the  children. 

Neal  and  Joy  were  a  trifle  startled  by  this 
bold  statement,  but  before  they  could  ques- 
tion it,  Brer  ordered  them  in  to  dress,  while 
he  and  Gene  led  Nip  off  for  his  first  swim- 
ming-lesson. 

Nip,  however,  needed  no  instruction  in 
the  art  of  swimming.  The  very  first  time 
that  the  boys  pushed  him  from  the  wharf, 
with  the  severe  but  benevolent  intention  of 
compelling  him  to  strike  out,  to  swim  or 
sink,  he  rose  like  a  duck  to  the  surface,  and 


LITTLE   LAND-LUBBERS.  269 

plunged  and  darted  about  as  if  he  had  been 
born  and  raised  in  the  water  instead  of 
nobody  knows  where.  Brer  and  Gene  and 
all  the  other  white  boys  were  as  clumsy 
as  porpoises  beside  the  swift,  gliding  little 
darky.  They  tried  to  learn  how  he  darted 
about  so  easily,  but  Nip  could  not  teach 
them. 

"  Tears  lak  I  does  jes'  lak  de  swallows 
does  up  yonda  in  de  sky,"  was  all  that 
he  could  tell  them. 

Grandma's  Bay  seems  to  have  been  made 
especially  for  children  to  play  in,  for  a  hard, 
sandy  floor  extends  for  almost  half  a  mile 
straight  out  from  the  shore,  perfectly  level 
and  smooth,  so  that  one  can  wade  in  with 
perfect  security,  without  the  least  fear  of 
plunging  over  one's  head  into  a  deep  hole. 
When  the  tide  was  out,  Neal  and  Joy 
could  run  far  out  before  the  smooth  water 
came  up  to  their  necks ;  but  when  the  tide 
was  in,  they  stayed  under  the  bath-house  ; 


270  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

and  when  the  wind  blew  the  water  into 
rolling  waves  that  take  one's  breath  away, 
they  did  not  go  in  at  all. 

But  the  boys  did.  When  a  storm  was 
raging  in  the  gulf,  and  the  soft,  south  wind 
blew  in  strong,  warm  gusts  over  the  bay, 
ploughing  deep  furrows  in  the  water  and 
tossing  it  up  in  foaming  white-caps,  the 
boys  had  the  jolliest  times  of  all.  It  was 
such  fun  to  run  before  the  swiftly  chasing 
waves,  to  leap  over  them,  one  after  another, 
as  they  rolled  rapidly  in  to  shore,  or  to  dash 
under  the  white  breakers,  and  come  up, 
gasping  and  dripping,  on  the  other  side 
just  in  time  to  meet  another. 

But  the  greatest  sport  of  all  was  one  for- 
bidden to  Brer  and  Gene.  Some  of  the  boys 
who  had  lived  on  the  bay  all  their  lives,  and 
were  as  much  at  home  in  the  water  as  on  the 
sandy  shore,  used  to  row  out  into  the  storm- 
tossed  waves ;  and  when  they  were  quite 
beyond  the  wharves  that  run  out  from  the 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  271 

villas  along  shore,  they  would  unfurl  a  great 
sail.  This  the  wind  would  catch  instantly, 
and  send  the  boat  skimming  like  a  bird 
through  the  dashing  spray  at  a  speed  that 
took  their  breath  away,  and  then,  with  a 
sudden,  mischievous  puff,  it  would  dip  the 
sail  under  the  waves,  and  the  boys  would 
be  floundering  in  the  water  or  clinging  to 
the  edge  of  the  boat.  These  boys  would 
urge  and  tease  Brer  and  Gene  to  join  them, 
and  when  the  two  boys  dutifully  refused, 
would  taunt  them  as  cowards,  and  shouted 
that  they  did  not  dare.  This  was  very  try- 
ing to  the  piney-woods  boys,  who  had  always 
been  brave  and  too  venturesome  for  Mrs.  Lee's 
comfort.  It  was  not  their  mother,  however, 
who  had  forbidden  them  to  go  out  in  the 
boat,  but  Grandma,  who  had  seen  too  many 
people  drown  in  the  cruel  water  to  be  willing 
to  trust  her  dear  ones  to  the  treacherous 
waves.  She  always  watched  with  the  keen- 
est anxiety  the  frolicking  boys  in  the  boat. 


272  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

Although  Brer  and  Gene  were  not  so 
familiar  with  the  water  as  the  shore  boys, 
they  were  quite  unwilling  to  be  thought 
unequal  to  any  sport,  and  least  of  all  would 
they  consent  to  being  called  cowards.  It 
was  too  much  of  any  one  to  expect  of  spirited 
boys  to  stand  like  girls  on  the  wharf,  and 
watch  the  fun  without  joining  in. 

Gene  stood  there  in  silence  one  day  as 
long  as  he  could  bear  it. 

"  Mamma  never  told  us  not  to,"  he  sput- 
tered. "  Grandma 's  always  afraid  we  '11 
drown  if  we  wet  our  feet." 

"  No,  Mamma  never ;  she  would  n't  either. 
She  don't  like  to  see  us  beat.  I  bet,  if  it 
were  not  for  Grandma,  she  'd  tell  us  to  go 
on  and  show  those  fellows  what  we  can  do," 
said  Brer. 

The  boat  came  sweeping  by  just  then 
before  a  driving  gale. 

"  Hang  your  clothes  on  a  hickory  limb, 
but  —  "  yelled  one  of  the  boys,  waving  his 
hand  tauntingly. 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  273 

"Just  you  come  back  for  us,"  shouted 
Gene,  angrily. 

"  We  may  as  well  go  out  once,  just  to 
show  them,"  said  Brer,  rather  uneasily.  "  If 
Mamma  had  told  us  not  to,  it  would  have 
been  different,  of  course,  but  she  never  said 
a  word." 

"  Yo'  muder  's  boun'  be  pow'ful  mad  w'en 
she  year  dose  no'  count  boys  callin'  we-alls 
cowa'ds,"  said  Nip,  who  was  balancing  him- 
self on  the  wharf-railing. 

"  They  won't  have  another  chance,"  de- 
clared Gene.  "  Say,  Brer,  let 's  hoist  the 
mast  in  Grandma's  boat,  and  show  them 
what  we  can  do." 

"  Grandma  's  going  to  go  for  us  just  for 
going  out  with  the  other  fellows.  I  reckon 
we  'd  best  leave  her  boat  alone.  Just  see 
where  those  fellows  are  tacking  to,  will  you  ? 
They  '11  be  out  in  deep  water  before  they 
know  it.  Gee,  how  they  rip  along !  They 
must  be  crazy  going  out  that  f ar !  " 

18 


274  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  Tears  lak  dey-alls  carn't  pull  de  sail 
roun',"  cried  Nip,  standing  upright  against 
the  wind  on  the  narrow  wharf-railing,  and 
gazing  keenly  at  the  flying  boat. 

"  Looks  like  it,  sure,  or  they  've  lost  their 
senses.  No  use  in  running  out  that  far  to 
get  back  here.  I  reckon  I  could  show  them 
something  about  tacking,  if  I  am  a  land- 
lubber. Whew  !  Look  at  that,  will  you  ?  " 

The  sail  of  the  boat  suddenly  flew  out, 
flapped  madly  from  the  mast  an  instant,  and 
then  dragged  it  down  into  the  water.  For 
one  moment  the  watchers  thought  that  the 
boat  had  gone  down,  but  presently  it  rose 
from  a  trench  upon  a  great  swell,  and  they 
could  see  the  four  boys  clinging  to  it. 

"  They  're  all  right,"  cried  Brer,  with  a 
breath  of  relief.  "  I  did  n't  know  as  they  'd 
find  it  so  easy  out  there  in  deep  water." 

"Does  yo'  year  dey-alls  a-hollerin',  Brer?" 
asked  Nip,  lifting  his  head  to  hearken. 

"  No.     Do  you  ?  " 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  275 

"  I  'low  I  year  right  plain.  Jes'  a-w'oopin'. 
'Pears  lak  deys  gwine  slip  down  de  oder  side 
de  yerth,  ef  somebody  doan  tote  dey-alls 
back." 

"  I  really  believe  that  they  are  drifting 
out.  I  bet  they  can't  right  the  boat  in  that 
deep  water.  Look,  Brer !  "  cried  Gene. 

But  Brer  had  seen,  and  he  was  ready  for 
action.  "  You  Nip,  get  into  that  boat  and 
bail  her  for  all  you  're  worth.  Gene,  help 
me  get  the  mast  and  sail  from  the  bath- 
house !  "  were  his  prompt  orders. 

The  boys  had  seen  the  mast  set  and  the 
boat  rigged  for  sailing  many  times ;  and 
though  they  never  had  actually  managed 
her,  they  went  to  work  under  the  pressure  of 
excitement  as  if  they  were  born  sailors. 

They  had  shoved  the  rocking  boat  from 
her  moorings,  and  were  getting  well  under 
way  when  Grandma,  Mamma,  and  Aunty 
came  running  down  the  wharf,  their  hair 
blown  by  the  wind  and  their  dresses  flapping 
about  them. 


276  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  Mamma,  we  just  have  it  to  do,"  called 
Brer,  appealing  to  his  mother,  before  Grand- 
ma could  say  a  word. 

"  They  '11  drown  if  we  don't,"  screamed 
Gene. 

The  boys  were  mistaken  in  fearing  Grand- 
ma's interference.  Though  she  strongly 
censured  reckless  and  unnecessary  exposure 
to  danger,  she  was  a  wise,  brave  woman,  en- 
couraging bravery  when  there  was  real  need 
for  action.  She  called  to  the  boys  quietly, 
for  their  mother  was  very  pale  and  seem- 
ingly unable  to  speak. 

"  Be  careful  in  shifting  the  saiL  When 
they  're  in,  let  Ross  manage.  Tell  him  if  he 
tips  you  out,  I  '11  see  that  he  is  punished  in 
a  way  that  he  will  remember.  Will  you  do 
as  I  say?" 

"  Yes,  sure  !     Mamma,  don't  be  scared." 

It  was  no  easy  task  to  approach  the  upset 
boat  in  the  teeth  of  the  gale.  They  were 
obliged  to  tack  far  out  on  this  side  and  then 


1  And  Brer  and  Gene  each  look  an  oar  and  managed  to  struggle 
alongside."  —  Page  277. 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  277 

on  the  other,  and  so  zigzag  forward.  How 
Brer  managed,  with  his  slight  experience,  to 
shift  the  sail  without  upsetting  the  boat,  he 
never  knew ;  but  they  kept  right-side-up  in 
spite  of  the  buffeting  wind  and  tossing 
water,  and  in  a  time  really  much  shorter 
than  it  seemed  to  themselves  or  to  those 
waiting  and  to  those  watching,  they  neared 
the  capsized  boat. 

With  the  sail  full  of  wind,  scurrying  along 
at  breathless  speed,  it  was  impossible  to  come 
close  to  the  other  boat  without  danger  of 
swamping  it  and  of  upsetting  their  own  boat ; 
so  the  three  boys  furled  the  sail  as  well  as  they 
could  in  such  a  tempest,  and  Brer  and  Gene 
each  took  an  oar  and  managed  to  struggle 
alongside.  The  four  exhausted  boys  scram- 
bled aboard,  and  sank  into  the  bottom  of  the 
boat. 

Brer  resigned  the  command  to  Ross,  as 
Grandma  had  directed. 

"  She  said  how  you  are  the  best  sailor,  and 


278  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

she  said  you  are  not  to  upset  the  boat  again," 
he  said  briefly. 

Ross  flushed  with  shame. 

"  Your  grandmother  need  n't  be  afraid 
I  '11  be  up  to  any  more  tricks  to-day.  I  've 
had  enough  water  myself  for  once.  I  say, 
Brer,"  he  went  on  awkwardly,  "  that  was  a 
right  pretty  show  of  tacking.  I  reckon  I 
could  n't  have  done  better  myself." 

That  was  a  right  handsome  concession 
from  Ross,  and  Brer  was  more  pleased  by  it 
than  he  cared  to  show. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what,"  exclaimed  one  of  the 
boys,  when  they  had  safely  put  about,  un- 
furled the  sail,  and  were  speeding  gayly  to- 
ward the  wharf.  "  We  're  bound  to  take 
back  all  we  said  about  you-alls  being  cow- 
ards, ain't  we,  kids  ?  " 

"  You  bet ! "  was  the  hearty  response ;  "  and 
I  say,  Brer,  you  won't  hear  us  calling  you- 
alls  '  land-lubbers '  any  more,  either." 

"  Call  ahead,"  said  Brer,  indifferently ; 
"  we  don't  care  what  names  we  go  by." 


LITTLE    LAND-LUBBERS.  279 

"  I  care,"  cried  Gene ;  "  I  ain't  going  to  be 
called  a  coward  by  anybody." 

"  Doan  yo'  go  fo'  to  upset  de  boat,  Gene," 
cautioned  Nip,  sitting  with  all  his  small 
weight  upon  the  upheaving  side  of  the  boat, 
"  case  Grammer's  watchin'  out  from  de  w'arf, 
an'  she  boun'  give  yo'  a  pun'shment  w'at 
yo'  doan  fo'git.  W'oa,  ole  boat,  w'at  fo'  yo' 
upsettin'  ? "  he  yelled,  as  the  boat  lurched 
against  the  wharf,  and  then  coolly  keeled 
over,  as  if  that  were  the  proper  way  to  de- 
liver its  cargo,  dumping  them  out  into  the 
shallow,  seething  water. 

"  We  did  n't  go  fo'  to  do  it,  Grammer,"  he 
sputtered,  astride  the  keel  in  an  instant. 
"  Doan  yo'-alls  go  fo'  to  fret  yo'self .  We- 
alls  gwine  set  dis  yer  boat  to  rights  befo' 
yo'  done  git  de  pone-cake  from  de  safe  fo' 
to  soak  up  de  wata  from  we-alls  stomachs." 


280  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

JOY'S  MISHAPS. 

"  SEE  mine !  see  my  crab !  it 's  the  biggest 
of  all !  "  screamed  Joy,  proudly  swinging 
the  great  foolish  fellow  that  was  clinging  so 
desperately  to  her  line,  as  if  it  were  clutch- 
ing a  life-preserver,  instead  of  a  death-bait. 

"Great  guns!"  cried  Gene,  bending  for- 
ward to  see.  "  It  is  a  fine  one,  sure.  But 
what  you  fooling  with  it  that-a-way  for? 
Haul  it  up,  quick !  you  '11  lose  it." 

Joy  began  to  pull  in  her  line,  and  the  row 
of  children  from  all  along  shore,  who  were 
swinging  their  heels  over  the  side  of  Grand- 
ma's wharf,  and  dangling  long  meat-baited 
strings  into  the  water  for  the  silly  crabs  to 
grab,  watched  the  great  clumsy  pink  crea- 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  281 

ture  rise  dripping  from  the  water  and  sway 
slowly  up,  up,  up  —  splash  ! 

"  0-o-oh  !  "  screamed  Joy  and  all  the  dis- 
appointed children  in  chorus. 

"Oh,  you-all  hush!"  cried  Brer,  crossly, 
from  the  other  side  of  the  wharf,  where  he 
had  dropped  a  half-dozen  lines.  "  Have  n't 
you  got  any  sense  ?  You  '11  scare  off  every 
blessed  crab." 

"  Mine  is  n't  scared  off,"  said  Joy.  "  Look, 
Nip,  there  he  is,  right  on  the  bottom,  see  ? " 
Joy  pushed  back  her  little  sun-bonnet,  and 
leaned  so  far  over  the  water  that  Nip,  who 
was  sitting  beside  her  to  bait  her  line, 
jumped  up  quickly  and  stood  on  her  dress  to 
prevent  her  falling.  The  water  below  was 
shallow,  it  is  true ;  but  the  wharf  was  so  high 
above  it  that  a  fall  was  not  desirable.  Nip 
could  look  down  over  Joy's  head;  he  too 
saw  the  shining  pink  shell  with  the  sunlight 
dancing  over  it. 

"  Let  down  yo'  line,  Joy,  quick !  I  reckon 
dat  fool  crab  waitin'  fo'  noder  bite." 


282  UNDER   TEE    WATER-OAKS. 

"The  bait's  gone.  The  old  thing  done 
took  it  off,"  whimpered  Joy. 

"Doan  go  fo'  to  cry,  honey.  I's  gwine 
tie  some  mo'  meat  on." 

"Hurry!"  whispered  Joy,  impatiently, 
thrusting  the  string  into  his  hands,  while 
she  fixed  the  crab  with  the  unwinking  gaze 
of  her  two  bright  eyes. 

"  Let  it  down  right  easy,"  directed  Nip, 
returning  the  string  with  a  nice  bit  of  fresh 
meat  securely  tied  on  the  end. 

Joy  lowered  the  line  with  breathless  cau- 
tion. It  touched  the  water,  and  ever  so 
softly  swept  over  the  crab ;  but  the  old 
fellow  never  budged. 

"  He  does  just  like  he  thought  it  nothing 
but  a  piece  of  seaweed,"  whispered  Neal, 
too  interested  in  Joy's  crab  to  notice  that 
another  was  pulling  at  her  own  line. 

"Let  the  meat  hit  the  old  crab  right 
hard,"  directed  Gene. 

Joy  allowed  the  water  to  wash  the  meat 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  283 

heavily  backward  and  forward  over  the 
sprawling  creature,  but  the  crab  took  no 
heed  except  to  move  its  claws  a  little 
uneasily. 

"  I  'low  dat  crab  am  feastin'  on  dat  fust 
bait  w'at  he  done  grab,  an'  he  doan  wan'  no 
ino',"  said  Nip. 

"  He  's  got  to  take  it ! "  cried  Joy,  ignoring, 
in  her  impatience,  Brer's  orders  for  quiet. 
"  There,  you  old  thing,  catch  hold,  I  say  !  " 
She  made  the  meat  dance  about  the  crab 
until  the  water  was  stirred  into  little  circling 
wavelets. 

"  Oh,  quit  that,  Joy  !  You  '11  scare  him 
off,  and  all  the  rest  too."  Gene  had  just  lost 
a  bait. 

11  Jes'  you  hoi'  dat  string  right  steady,  Joy, 
an'  bimeby  dat  ole  crab  gwine  grab  right 
tight,"  whispered  Nip. 

"  No,  he  won't.  He  's  going  now.  Catch 
him !  You  Nip,  catch  him  !  " 

"  Carn't  cotch  'im  w'en  he  boun'  to  go," 
remonstrated  Nip. 


284  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  Yes,  you  can  too ;  jump  right  down  and 
catch  him !  Hurry !  he 's  going.  Brer,  make 
Nip  catch  him  for  me." 

"  I  sha'n't  do  any  such  thing.  Stop  your 
row,  can't  you  ?  How  do  you  reckon  he  's 
going  to  catch  him,  —  in  his  fingers?" 

"  He 's  going ! "  screamed  Joy,  who  had 
kept  her  eyes  on  the  precious  crab.  She 
scrambled  to  her  feet  and  went  pattering  as 
fast  as  she  could  up  the  wharf  to  the  sand. 

"  Wait,  Joy,  I 's  gwine  cotch  yo'  fine  crab 
fo'  yo',"  called  Nip,  as  she  gathered  up  her 
skirts  and  splashed  out  into  the  water. 

"  You  're  not  going  to  do  any  such  thing," 
cried  Brer,  peremptorily.  "  Let  her  lose  her 
crab,  now  she  's  scared  all  ours  away,  and 
spoiled  all  our  fun.  You  just  stay  where 
you  are." 

Joy  waded  straight  toward  the  post  near 
which  she  had  seen  the  crab  settle,  recklessly 
ploughing  the  water  up  in  front  and  care- 
lessly trailing  her  skirts  behind  her.  When 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  285 

she  reached  the  spot,  she  was  obliged  to 
stand  still  a  moment  to  let  the  disturbed 
water  clear,  and  then  —  where  was  the 
crab? 

"  Why  don't  you  catch  him  ?  "  asked  Brer, 
sarcastically. 

"  Pity  to  lose  a  crab  that  'a  worth  all  the 
others  in  the  bay,"  remarked  Gene,  imitat- 
ing his  brother's  tone. 

"I  'low  dat  ole  crab  w'at  yo'  so  fond 
ob — "  began  Nip,  in  the  same  strain  —  but 
what  an  interruption ! 

They  had  heard  Joy  scream  many  a  time 
before,  but  this  —  who  could  have  thought 
it  possible  for  such  a  volume  of  screeches  to 
be  confined  in  her  small  body  ? 

The  children  sprang  to  their  feet  and 
looked  down  upon  her  with  terror. 

Brer  and  Gene  and  Nip  in  a  trice  were  off 
the  wharf  and  beside  the  little  sister. 

In  her  distress  she  would  have  nothing  to 
do  with  them. 


286  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

The  foolish  child,  in  her  determination  to 
find  the  crab,  had  plunged  her  hand  into  the 
water  to  feel  in  the  sand  about  the  post. 

"  Ee  —  ee  —  ee  !  "  screaming  with  fright 
and  pain,  she  jerked  her  hand  from  the 
water  and  shook  it  violently,  but  the  strong 
claws  of  the  crab,  that  had  seized  her,  closed 
tighter  and  tighter,  pinching  her  tender 
flesh  most  cruelly. 

She  turned  upon  the  boys  desperately, 
then  back  to  the  shore  she  plunged,  and  ran, 
screaming  and  howling  at  the  top  of  her 
voice,  toward  Grandma's  back  gallery,  while 
behind  her  streamed  the  boys  and  all  the 
little  playmates. 

Neal's  face  was  pale  with  alarm,  and  she 
too  lifted  up  her  voice  in  a  series  of  shrieks ; 
and  all  the  little  girls  sniffed  and  sobbed  in 
sympathy  with  poor  little  Joy. 

What  a  hubbub !  Mamma,  Grandma,  and 
Aunty  came  running  out  to  meet  them. 

Mamma  clasped  the  terrified  child  in  her 


"Screaming  with  fright  and  pain,  she  jerked  her  hand  from  the  water 
and  shook  it  violently  "  —  Page  286, 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  287 

arms  and  frantically  tried  to  loosen  the  stub- 
born claws.  This  was  impossible  to  do,  for 
the  crab  was  as  determined  to  keep  Joy  as 
Joy  had  been  to  keep  it.  Aunty  ran  for  hot 
water  into  which  to  plunge  the  stubborn 
creature ;  but  Brer  meanwhile  came  to  his 
mother's  side,  breathing  hard,  but  speaking 
quietly,  — 

"  Mamma,  tell  her  to  quit  her  yelling  and 
hold  her  hand  down  there.  I  '11  cut  those 
nippers  off." 

"  Joy,  be  brave,  and  do  as  your  brother 
tells  you." 

Poor  Joy  stifled  her  cries,  but  quivered 
all  over  with  pain  and  excitement,  clinging 
to  her  mother,  while  Brer  cut  off  the  crab's 
claws. 

What  relief !  All  the  little  girls  laughed 
and  cried  with  her  when  she  was  free,  and 
crowded  around  to  examine  the  wounded 
hand,  petting  and  kissing  Joy  "  like  she  'd 
caught  a  potful  of  crabs  for  dinner,  instead 


288  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

of  driving  them  all  out  to  sea,  and  scaring 
everybody  out  of  their  senses,  because  she 
done  gone  crazy  over  one  pesky  crab,  and 
had  stuck  her  fingers  into  its  very  claws," 
grumbled  Brer,  resenting  the  strain  upon 
his  feelings  and  the  loss  of  the  crabs  he  had 
planned  to  catch. 

"  We  must  remember  that  Joy  is  only  a 
wee  bit  girlie,"  said  Mamma,  "  and  not  ex- 
pect her  to  be  quite  so  brave  as  my  big 
boys." 

But  that  evening  after  tea,  when  she  and 
Grandma  and  Aunty  were  sitting  on  the 
end  of  the  wharf,  enjoying  the  cool  night 
breeze  and  the  gorgeous  reflections  of  the 
sunset  on  clouds  and  water,  Mrs.  Lee  took 
occasion  to  reprove  Joy  for  the  foolish  out- 
cry which  she  had  made  over  the  crab. 

Brer  and  Gene  had  pushed  out  in  the 
boat  to  try  their  luck  with  the  net;  and 
there  was  no  one  to  overhear  Mamma's 
lecture  but  Neal,  and  Nip,  who  was  lying 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  289 

on  his  stomach  and  propping  his  head  in  his 
hand,  so  that  he  might  better  watch  the  boys. 

"Joy  must  remember  when  she  is  hurt 
that  crying  and  screaming  don't  do  one  bit 
of  good.  It  only  makes  the  pain  harder  to 
bear ;  and  it  distresses  other  people." 

"  She  screeched  like  an  alligator  had  got 
her,"  exclaimed  Neal,  scornfully,  quite  for- 
getting how  she  had  swelled  the  chorus, 
until  Nip  asked  simply,  — 

"  Did  yo'-alls  'low  a  sha'k  done  kotch 
Joy,  case  why  yo'  yell  so,  Neal  ? " 

"  No,  I  did  n't !  "  retorted  Neal,  glancing 
quickly  at  the  teasing  smiles  of  the  three 
ladies.  "  I  done  thought  it  was  a  whale." 

"  Whales  don't  come  to  Grandma's  Bay !  " 
exclaimed  Joy ;  "  do  they,  Nip  ?  " 

"  I  'low  w'ales  doan  come,  but  sha'ks 
does,  suah ;  case  why,  one  snipped  off  de 
foot  of  a  no  'count  nigger  dat  carn't  swim 
no  mo'  'n  a  rock.  I  'low  Grammer  's  yern 
tell  'bout  dat  sha'k." 

19 


290  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  Yes,  Nip ;  but  that  was  out  beyond 
the  Point.  Sharks  seldom  come  here." 

"  Say,  Joy,  suppose  it  had  been  a  shark  ? " 
speculated  Neal,  opening  her  eyes  wide  as 
she  imagined  the  great  creature  sweeping 
down  on  little  Joy.  "  You  'd  have  screeched 
then,  I  reckon." 

"  I  reckon  so,"  agreed  Joy,  cheerfully. 
The  idea  of  anything  more  terrible  than 
a  crab  was  beyond  her  imagination. 

"  I  'low  Joy  ain't  got  no  screech  left  big 
'nough  fo'  a  sha'k,"  grinned  Nip. 

"  I  have  too  !     You  just  listen." 

Joy  stretched  her  mouth  preparatory  to 
showing  her  ability  to  salute  a  shark ;  but 
Mamma  laid  her  hand  softly  over  the  yawn- 
ing cavity. 

"  There,  there,  Joy.  Wait  until  the  shark 
comes.  We  've  had  enough  screaming  to- 
day. Listen  !  How  softly  the  waves  are 
lapping  the  shore  !  See  the  beautiful  colors 
in  the  sky  and  the  water." 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  291 

"  The  bay  looks  just  like  a  piece  of  the 
sky,"  said  Neal.  "  See,  the  boys  look  just 
like  they  were  floating  in  the  clouds.  They 
look  just  like  they  were  cut  out  of  black 
clouds ;  the  boat,  too,  and  their  shadow, 
just  as  clear,  upside  down. 

"  Is  n't  it  funny  ?  Say,  Nip,  is  that  the 
way  you  and  Flo  and  the  man  in  the  moon 
looked  when  you  came  a-sailing  down  to 
Grandma's  Bay?" 

"  Dar  ain't  no  fish  a-floppin'  up  an' 
a-splashin'  in  de  sky,  Neal,"  expostulated 
Nip. 

"  Of  course  not.  Only,  just  look,  sup- 
posing the  boat  is  the  moon,  and  Brer  — 
he 's  going  to  fall  if  he  don't  look  out, 
throwing  that  net  —  and  he  was  the  man 
in  the  moon,  and  Gene  (only  you  would  n't 
be  poling,  like  he  is)  was  you,  and  you  'd 
just  come  slipping  down,  as  easy,  through 
the  rosy  clouds.  What  makes  the  moon 
go,  anyway?" 


292  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  I  's  gwine  ax  de  man  in  de  moon, 
bimeby,"  replied  Nip,  sleepily. 

"  Could  n't  you  see  when  you  came,  I  'd 
like  to  know?" 

"  1  's  mostly  sleepin'  at  night-time." 

tc  Now,  Nip,  you  were  n't  asleep  when 
you  were  a-sailing  in  the  moon." 

"  Nip  never  said  he  sailed  in  the  moon," 
cried  Joy. 

"  He  never  said  he  did  n't ;  and  how  could 
he  and  Flo  have  come  any  other  way  ? " 
argued  Neal,  who  liked  to  believe  in  all 
sorts  of  wonderful  things.  "  There  's  the 
moon-boat  now  ?  " 

"Yes;  the  new  moon  again,"  observed 
Mrs.  Lee.  "  We  have  been  with  Grandma 
and  Aunty  a  whole  long  month.  I  reckon 
Papa  and  old  Pacer  will  come  for  us  in  a 
few  days.  What  do  you  say  to  that, 
boys  ?  " 

It  had  become  quite  dark  except  for  the 
moon  and  stars  and  the  phosphorescent 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  293 

glow  on  the  water  that  broke  like  liquid  fire 
against  the  posts  of  the  wharf  and  the  prow 
of  the  boat,  which  the  boys,  who  had  been 
coining  slowly  in,  had  tied  to  the  landing. 

"  Home  in  a  few  days,  —  back  to  the 
Water-Oaks !  How  jolly  !  "  shouted  Gene, 
"Only  —  "  he  glanced  around  the  enchanted 
moon-lit  scene,  at  the  sparkling  water  with 
the  waving  paths  of  moonlight  and  star- 
light lying  across  it,  the  lights  of  the  city 
on  the  opposite  shore,  at  the  dear  old  villa 
on  the  cliff,  with  the  dark,  moss-hung  oaks 
clustering  about  it,  and  the  pines  rising 
like  gloomy  giants  behind  it.  Some  one 
was  singing  far  out  over  the  water ;  and 
when  the  song  was  ended,  and  Aunty  an- 
swered it  in  her  sweet,  low  contralto,  Gene 
slid  down  at  her  feet  and  hid  his  face 
among  the  soft  folds  of  her  dress,  for  it 
made  him  feel  right  homesick  to  think  of 
leaving  Grandma's  Bay. 

The  children  were  greatly  distracted  be- 


294  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

tvveen  their  desire  to  see  the  Water-Oaks 
again  and  their  reluctance  to  leave  the  Bay. 
There  was  no  immediate  cause  for  distress, 
however,  for  Mr.  Lee  did  not  appear  for 
nearly  a  week. 

In  that  time  Joy  had  an  opportunity  to 
show  that  she  could  be  as  plucky  as  any 
of  them,  now  that  she  had  made  up  her 
mind  never  again  to  be  so  babyish  as  she 
had  been  over  that  horrid  crab. 

It  was  late  one  afternoon,  and  the  girls 
had  just  come  up  from  their  second  daily 
plunge  into  the  bay.  Neal,  in  the  room, 
was  struggling  into  her  shoes  and  stockings, 
and  letting  Mamma  tie  her  into  a  ruffled 
white  gown  with  pink  ribbons,  for  it  was 
the  fashion  on  the  Bay  for  all  the  girls 
to  dress  up  and  visit  like  little  ladies  every 
evening.  Joy,  lounging  on  the  back  gallery, 
waiting  her  turn  to  be  dressed,  was  wonder- 
ing what  the  boys  were  shouting  and  laugh- 
ing about,  down  by  the  old  store.  She  half 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  295 

wished  that  she  were  a  boy,  then  she  would 
not  need  to  put  on  her  shoes  and  stockings. 
No,  she  did  not  wish  that  either,  for  boys 
never  wore  such  pretty  dresses  and  ribbons, 
and  they  always  looked  so  funny  and  stiff 
when  they  were  dressed  in  their  best  suits. 
Joy  shook  her  brown  head  scornfully  at  the 
thicket  that  hid  the  old  store  from  sight. 
"  No,  sir,  I  would  n't  be  a  boy  if  —  Why, 
Aunty  !  "  She  scrambled  up  the  lattice  for 
a  better  view.  Yes ;  it  was  Aunty  who  had 
screamed.  Joy  could  see  her  white  dress 
fluttering  through  the  trees.  And  what  was 
that  crashing  through  the  bushes  after  her  ? 
Oh,  it  was  Mr.  Jackson's  pet  deer,  just  tear- 
ing along ! 

Joy  did  not  stop  to  consider.  She  jumped 
from  the  gallery,  and  flying  to  the  orchard 
gate,  pushed  through,  darted  under  the  scup- 
pernong  arbor  and  under  the  orange-trees, 

—  no  matter  if  something  did  prick  her  foot, 

—  and  dashed  with  all   her  might  against 


296  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

the  old  gate  that  opened  into  the  woods. 
Brush  and  briers  were  growing  thickly 
against  it,  but  she  forced  it  open,  and  rushed 
out,  tossing  her  arms  and  screaming,  — 

"  Aunty  !     Aunty  !  " 

Aunty  saw  her,  and  turned.  The  snort- 
ing deer  was  close  behind  her ;  but  before 
his  horns  touched  her,  she  swept  little  Joy 
back  into  the  orchard,  and  pulled  the  gate 
close  behind  her. 

Then,  while  the  baffled  deer  tossed  his 
cruel  horns  and  stamped  his  sharp  hoofs 
in  baffled  rage,  Aunty  sank  down  under 
the  orange-trees. 

"  Oh,  Aunty,  don't !  "  cried  Joy,  terror- 
stricken  by  the  white  face  and  closing  eyes. 
She  stretched  up  her  little  arms  for  support 
as  Aunty's  head  fell  back  heavily.  Joy  low- 
ered it  easily  to  the  ground  and  flew  back 
to  the  house,  calling  loudly  for  Grandma 
and  Mamma. 

She  could  not  explain  what  was  the  mat- 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  297 

ter  with  Aunty,  but  she  seized  Grandma's 
hand,  and  pulled  her  at  an  undignified  pace 
to  the  orange  orchard,  Mamma  and  Neal 
following. 

Grandma  understood  at  a  glance. 

"  She  has  fainted  from  fright,"  she  said, 
kneeling  by  Aunty's  side.  "  Send  Joy  for 
water,  Lyla,  and  that  bottle  of  scuppernong 
in  the  safe." 

Mrs.  Lee  herself  hastened  to  the  house. 

"  Did  the  deer  catch  her  ?  Is  she  dead  ? " 
whispered  a  horror-stricken  voice  at  Grand- 
ma's side. 

Brer  and  Gene  and  Nip,  heading  a  troop 
of  frightened  boys,  had  come  stealing  into 
the  orchard  through  a  gap  in  the  opposite 
fence. 

Grandma  turned  upon  the  culprits  sternly. 

"  Go  straight  away,  boys !  Have  n't  I 
told  you  hundreds  of  times  not  to  aggravate 
that  deer  ?  Ross  !  -Is  Ross  here  ?  Go  and 
tell  your  father  to  take  his  deer  out  of  the 


298  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

woods,  and  to  keep  it  out,  or  I  shall  have  it 
shot.  It  has  been  a  public  nuisance  long 
enough.  Boys,  I  say  to  go !  " 

Never  had  Grandma  addressed  them  in 
that  tone  before.  The  boys,  filled  with  aw- 
ful fear  at  the  sight  of  Aunty's  still  face, 
slunk  guiltily  away. 

Brer  and  Gene  and  Nip  went  slowly  to 
the  house. 

Mamma  came  running  down  the  steps. 

"  Is  she  dead  ? "  gasped  Gene,  trying  to 
clutch  her  skirts  as  she  brushed  by  them  ; 
but  Mamma  only  gave  them  a  reproachful 
glance  as  she  hurried  on. 

Brer  led  the  way  to  the  wharf,  where 
they  sank  in  a  dejected  row  in  the  shade 
of  the  bath-house. 

"  Keep  a  watch-out  on  the  house,  Nip," 
commanded  Brer,  huskily. 

This  gave  Nip  some  occupation.  Brer 
and  Gene  kept  their  gaze  turned  carefully 
out  to  sea,  thinking  and  thinking  of  Aunty's 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  299 

white  face  with  the  shadows  of  the  orange- 
trees  moving  softly  upon  it,  wondering  if 
it  still  lay  so,  and  wishing  —  oh,  how  they 
did  wish  —  that  they  had  let  that  deer 
alone. 

After  a  time  the  silence  became  unen- 
durable to  Gene.  His  heart  seemed  swelled, 
and  it  ached  so  he  could  not  stand  it  any 
longer.  With  a  sob,  he  burst  forth, — 

"  Oh,  Brer,  what  shall  we  do  ?  Let 's  not 
sit  here  ;  let 's  go  back  to  the  house." 

"  Grandma  ordered  us  off,"  objected  Brer, 
dully. 

"  But  we  can't  sit  here  and  think  any 
longer ;  I  shall  just  burst.  If  we  've  gone 
and  made  that  deer  kill  Aunty,  we  're  bound 
to  do  something." 

"  Do  what  ?  I  'd  like  to  know.  Did  n't 
Grandma  tell  us  to  go,  like  she  never 
wanted  to  see  us  again  ?  I  'in  sure  I  don't 
blame  her." 

"  But  let 's  do  something." 


300  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  What  is  there  to  do,  now  she  's  dead  ?  " 

"  Mamma  wants  us,  I  know,"  sobbed 
Gene.  "  I  want  to  see  Aunty  again.  I 
don't  believe  she  's  dead." 

"  Did  n't  you  see  her  ?  "  demanded  Brer, 
huskily.  Then  he  added,  making  a  great 
effort  to  steady  his  voice,  — 

"  You  and  Nip  go.  Go  along  with  Gene, 
Nip." 

Nip  looked  pleadingly  at  Brer. 

"  I  'low  I 's  gwine  'bide  yer  wiv  you, 
Brer,"  he  coaxed. 

"  No ;  you  go  'long  with  Gene,"  ordered 
Brer. 

When  he  was  alone,  Brer  buried  his  face 
in  his  arms  and  shook  with  sobs.  He  wept 
and  moaned,  his  grief  wrenching  him  sorely. 
Suddenly  he  controlled  himself  and  sat  up 
with  a  look  of  resolve  on  his  pale  face. 

"I'll  go  away,"  he  muttered.  "I'll 
never  show  myself  again  to  bother  them. 
Gene  is  n't  so  old  ;  and  Nip  —  it  does  n't 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  301 

matter  so  much  about  them.  But  of  course 
they  all  'd  hate  the  sight  of  me.  Aunty  — 
she  wouldn't  scold,  but  she  — " 

He  ran  rapidly  down  the  steps  and 
sprang  into  the  dancing  skiff.  He  never 
once  looked  at  the  house  as  he  untied  the 
boat  and  pushed  off. 

He  rowed  with  all  his  might  straight 
out  into  the  bay.  Where  he  was  going 
he  did  not  think.  He  did  not  think  of 
anything  but  to  get  out  of  sight.  Per- 
haps, in  his  dazed,  grief-stricken  mind,  there 
was  some  vague  idea  of  drifting  out  into 
the  gulf,  or  perhaps  of  being  picked  up 
by  some  out-going  steamer.  It  was  not 
like  Brer  to  act  so  impulsively,  nor  to  take 
flight  for  any  cause,  but  when  had  such  a 
terrible  thing  happened !  The  very  thought 
of  it  was  too  dreadful  for  endurance.  He 
splashed  wildly  with  his  oars  to  drive  the 
thought  away.  He  would  not  even  look 
up  when  a  chorus  of  screams  and  shouts 


302  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

arose  from  the  wharf.  But  though  he  re- 
fused to  heed  them,  the  cries  confused  him 
and  hindered  his  movements.  One  oar 
slipped  from  his  nerveless  hand  and  floated 
away.  It  took  much  time  to  paddle  after 
it  and  secure  it. 

The  calls  from  the  wharf  became  louder 
and  more  insistent. 

"  Brer  !  Brer  !  Come  back  !  "  That 
was  Gene's  voice.  But  now  another  cry 
sounded  nearer,  but  faint. 

"  Brer !     I 's  comin'.  Brer." 

Brer  started  and  lifted  his  head.  What 
was  that  small  round  object  bobbing  along 
in  the  water  ? 

"  Brer !  "  again  came  the  cry,  more  feebly. 

Brer  turned  the  boat  and  rowed  rapidly 
back.  Nip  grasped  the  edge  of  the  boat, 
but  he  was  too  exhausted  to  scramble  in  ; 
Brer  was  obliged  to  help  him. 

"  You  Nip,  what  possessed  you  ?  " 

"I   reckon  I  was   possess'  by  de    sperit, 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  303 

Brer,"  answered  Nip,  wiping  his  face  on  his 
sleeve. 

"  Do  you  want  to  slide  off  on  the  other 
side  of  the  earth  ?  "  demanded  Brer. 

"  I  dunno.    Is  you  gwine  slide  off,  Brer  ?  " 

Brer  slapped  the  water  impatiently  with 
the  oars. 

"  Case  why,  Aunty  gwine  feel  right  bad, 
when  yo'-alls  doan  come  back  right  soon." 

"  Aunty ! " 

"  Aunty  's  done  riz,  Brer." 

"  Is  she  —  is  n't  she  dead  ?  " 

"  Whar  yo'  eyes,  Brer  ?  Doan  yo  see 
Aunty  a-standin'  lak  a  sure  'nough  ha'nt  on 
de  w'arf,  a-screechin'  an'  a-wavin'  to  yo'-alls  ?  " 

Brer  jumped  upright  in  the  boat  and 
gazed  back.  There  was  Aunty  indeed, 
standing  on  the  very  edge  of  the  wharf,  her 
tall  white-clad  figure  gleaming  in  the  last 
low  rays  of  the  sun,  one  hand  shading  her 
eyes  and  the  other  beckoning  to  him ;  and 
now  he  could  hear  her,  for  the  others  were 


304  UNDER    THE    WATER-OAKS. 

still.  "  Brer !  oh-o-oh,  Brer !  "  How  sweet 
and  clear  the  prolonged  notes  sounded ! 

Brer  made  a  trumpet  with  his  hands  and 
shouted  back,  "Coming ;  we  're  coming  !  " 

What  a  long  slow  row  that  was  back  to 
the  wharf !  but  Aunty  stood  there  waiting 
for  them  as  real  as  life.  She  had  quite  re- 
covered from  the  fainting-fit  too,  or  she 
never  could  have  endured  that  awful  hug 
that  Brer  gave  her  when  he  sprang  up  the 
steps. 

"  Why,  Brer !  "  she  exclaimed,  laughing 
softly  and  running  her  white  fingers  through 
his  hair ;  but  she  pretended  not  to  see  the 
tears  in  his  eyes,  which  was  just  like 
Aunty. 

"  Hurry  to  your  mother,  Brer;  she  's  wor- 
ried about  Joy.  The  poor  child  has  got 
something  in  her  foot.  You  '11  have  to  run 
down  to  Point  Myrtle,  I  reckon,  and  see  if 
Dr.  Beauregard  came  over  in  the  steamer." 

"  A  doctor !  Joy  must  be  badly  off  if 
Mamma  could  n't  cure  her." 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  305 

Brer  hastened  to  the  house,  expecting  to 
find  Joy  in  an  alarming  state.  He  was  re- 
lieved to  see  her  lying  quietly  on  the  couch 
with  her  foot  in  Grandma's  lap. 

The  palm  of  the  foot  was  badly  swollen 
just  back  of  the  big  toe;  but  the  only  sign  of 
a  wound  was  a  tiny  puncture  like  a  pin-hole. 
"  I  fear  it 's  an  orange-thorn,"  said  Mamma. 
"  She  said  she  felt  a  sting  when  she  was  run- 
ning to  open  the  gate  for  Aunty.  She  for- 
got all  about  it  in  the  excitement,  until  I 
saw  her  limping." 

"  See  if  you  can  feel  anything,  Brer,"  said 
Joy,  stretching  out  the  little  tanned  foot. 

Brer  pressed  his  fingers  upon  the  swollen 
flesh,  until  Joy  snatched  her  foot  back, 
laughing  a  little  hysterically. 

"  It  does  n't  hurt  much"  she  said.  "  I 
don't  want  a  doctor.  Mamma  '11  cure  it." 

"We'll  try  a  poultice  to-night,"  decided 
Mamma ;  "  to-morrow  we  will  see  about  the 
doctor." 

20 


306  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

In  the  morning  Joy  was  feverish  and  her 
foot  much  inflamed,  so  Mamma  sent  the  boys 
for  Dr.  Beauregard. 

He  was  a  stout,  jolly  man,  who  laughed 
while  he  probed,  and  probed  while  he 
laughed,  until  Joy  could  have  kicked  him, 
if  she  had  not  been  afraid  of  that  sharp, 
glistening  knife  that  hurt  her  enough  as  it 
was.  Neal  hid  her  face  in  Grandma's  lap ; 
but  the  boys,  who  saw  Joy  set  her  teeth  in 
her  determination  not  to  scream,  doubled 
their  fists,  that  were  tingling  to  show  that 
great,  heartless  man  what  hurting  was ;  while 
Nip,  —  that  saucy  little  darky, —  when  he 
saw  the  doctor  poising  his  lancet  for  another 
trial,  gave  the  wrinkled  skin  of  his  fat  neck 
such  a  tweak  with  his  sharp  fingers  that  Joy, 
who  saw  him,  laughed,  and  it  was  the  doctor 
who  set  his  teeth,  while  he  made  a  futile  slap 
at  the  flea  that  he  thought  had  bitten  him. 

He  was  so  annoyed,  being  a  city  man,  not 
so  hardened  to  flea-bites  as  were  over-the- 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  307 

Bay  people,  that  he  forgot  to  probe  any 
more. 

He  arose  hastily,  assuring  Mamma  posi- 
tively there  was  not  the  least  sign  of  any 
foreign  substance  in  the  foot, — a  severe  prick, 
nothing  more  ;  but  he  added  pompously,  — 

"  Keep  it  clean,  Madam !  keep  it  dry. 
The  least  carelessness  or  the  least  neglect  is 
sure  to  bring  on  lockjaw.  Take  her  away 
from  the  salt-sea  air  and  the  salt-sea  water. 
Take  her  at  once,  Madam.  Good-day." 

He  made  a  sweeping  bow  around  the 
room,  and  puffed  forth  to  his  carriage. 

"  We  '11  send  for  my  good  old  doctor  to 
come  by  the  steamer  to-night,"  said  Grand- 
ma; "we  will  run  no  risks." 

"  Is  your  doctor  scared  of  fleas  ? "  asked 
Joy. 

"  Not  a  bit ;  and  he  knows  in  a  minute  the 
difference  between  nipping  fingers  and  bit- 
ing fleas.  I  warn  you,  Nip." 

There  was    no   need   to  warn  Nip.      He 


308  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

watched  the  grave,  white-haired  gentleman 
suspiciously  at  first ;  but  when  he  saw  how 
tenderly  he  handled  Joy's  poor  inflamed  foot, 
and  how  trustfully  Joy  smiled  up  at  him,  he 
concluded  that  this  doctor  did  not  need  to  be 
nipped,  and  he  retired  behind  the  boys,  who 
were  eying  the  doctor  approvingly,  for  he 
produced  no  lancet  from  his  case.  He  said 
to  Mamma  with  a  pleasant  smile,  "  Only  a 
little  splinter,  Lyla.  It  will  work  itself  out. 
Just  let  it  alone.  This  little  girl  will  be 
jumping  about  like  a  cricket  in  a  few 
days." 

This  good  old  doctor  was  mistaken,  how- 
ever. The  foot  grew  worse;  Joy  became 
more  feverish  and  fretful  each  day.  Mrs. 
Lee  began  to  think  nervously  of  what  the 
fat,  pompous  doctor  had  said  about  lockjaw. 

How  glad  they  all  were,  how  relieved, 
when  Papa  at  last  came ! 

"We'll  take  her  straight  back  into  the 
piney  woods,"  he  decided  at  once.  "  She 's 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  309 

bound  to  get  well  there.  Can  you  be  ready 
to  start  by  four  in  the  morning,  Lyla  ?  " 

Mamma  said  "yes;  "  the  children  all  cried 
"yes,"  and  neither  Grandma  nor  Aunty 
would  say  a  word  to  detain  them. 

Accordingly,  the  next  morning,  while  the 
night  still  lay  black  on  the  bay  and  the 
wavelets  drowsily  lapped  the  shore  in  the 
darkness,  the  sleepy  children  drank  their 
strong  coffee  by  the  light  of  a  kerosene 
lamp  on  Grandma's  back  gallery,  and  started 
on  the  long  drive  back  into  the  piney  woods, 
and  before  the  scorching  rays  of  the  red  sun 
had  penetrated  the  open  vistas  of  the  pines, 
they  were  far  on  their  way  to  the  Water- 
Oaks. 

Brer  remained  behind,  not  to  ride  up  with 
the  moon  man,  who  doubtless  would  have  re- 
fused accommodations  to  such  a  scoffer,  but 
with  Uncle  Jim,  who  was  promising  himself 
a  visit  to  the  Water-Oaks  within  a  few  days. 

Brer  had  resigned  his  seat  in  the  wagon 


310  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

to  Nip,  whom  Joy,  in  a  whimsical  mood,  had 
chosen  for  her  nurse,  and  even  for  a  day  she 
refused  to  be  separated  from  him. 

Papa  held  his  little  girl  in  his  strong  arms 
while  Pacer  trotted  bravely  over  the  long, 
long  road ;  and  when,  after  a  weary  time  of 
ceaseless  jolting,  the  faithful  old  horse  came 
to  a  standstill  in  the  shade  of  the  bay-tree, 
before  the  dear  house  gate,  he  carried  her 
high  above  the  welcoming  cluster  of  barking, 
leaping  dogs,  and  laid  her  tenderly  upon  a 
sheepskin  pallet  in  the  cool  corner  of  the 
gallery. 

Mamma  bathed  the  throbbing  foot  with 
light,  soothing  touches,  and  skilfully  bound 
it  with  strong  sweet-gum  salve  of  her  own 
make. 

Then  Joy  raised  herself  on  her  elbow  and 
called  imperatively,  — 

"  Nip !  Nip  !    You  Nip  !  " 

"  Hi ! "  came  the  prompt  response  from 
the  old  orchard,  where  Gene  and  Nip  were 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  311 

scrambling  over  the  roof  of  the  scuppernong 
arbor,  taking  an  inventory  of  the  grape  crop, 
popping  the  occasional  ripe  grapes  that  their 
searching  eyes  discovered  into  their  ready 
mouths,  and  dropping  some  into  the  greedy 
apron  that  Neal  held  stretched  to  its  most 
gaping  width  beneath  them. 

Nip  swung  himself  down  by  the  great 
scuppernong  trunk  that  supported  the  centre 
of  the  arbor,  and  sped  lightly  to  the  gallery 
where  Joy  continued  her  petulant  calling,  — 

"Nip!  Nip!     You  Nip!" 

"  Yer  I  is,  Joy.  Wat  fo'  yo'  yellin'  lak 
I 's  down  yonda  at  Grammer's  Bay  ?  Doan 
go  fo'  to  'cite  yo'self  fo'  not'in'  an'  mek  yo'- 
self  right  feberish,"  remonstrated  Nip,  pat- 
tering along  the  gallery  and  dropping  down 
at  Joy's  side  with  an  offering  of  four  great 
luscious  grapes  in  his  extended  hand.  "I 
'low  yo'  doan  wan'  dese  yer  fine  ripe 
grapes." 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  declared  Joy,  sitting  up  and 


312  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

taking  three  grapes.  "  Now,  you  eat  that 
one  right  slow  for  company,"  she  said,  push- 
ing away  his  hand  with  the  other  grape  in 
it. 

Nip  obediently  munched  his  grape  in  soci- 
able leisure  until  Joy's  grapes  had  disap- 
peared and  she  issued  her  next  order,  — 

"  Tell  them  to  bring  us  some  more." 

"  Hi,  dar ! "  yelled  Nip,  springing  to  his  feet 
and  facing  the  scuppernong  arbor.  "  Doan 
yo'  go  fo'  to  roll  all  dose  fine  scuppernongs 
down  yo'-alls  frote.  Case  why,  Joy  'low 
she  gwine  war  yo'-alls  out  ef  Neal  doan 
fotch  her  an  apernful  ob  grapes  right  soon. 
D'  year  ?  " 

"  Now  conjure  it,"  was  Joy's  next  com- 
mand, as  she  sank  back  and  stretched  out 
her  bandaged  foot. 

"  All  right,  honey.  Mind  yo'  'bide  right 
still.  Nip  gwine  conjure  dat  ole  splinter 
so  he  boun'  show  hisself." 

The   little   darky  dropped   on   his   knees 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  313 

and  made  a  strange  sign  over  the  injured 
foot.  Then,  working  his  face  into  fascinat- 
ing contortions,  rolling  up  his  eyes  in  awful 
solemnity,  and  moving  his  lips  in  indistinct 
mutterings,  he  waved  his  slender  brown 
hands  in  circles  and  other  mystic  signs  over 
the  throbbing  wound ;  while  Joy  watched 
him  with  a  breathless  interest  that  was 
partly  amusement,  but  more  than  half  su- 
perstitious belief. 

"  Now  dat  ar  foot  gwine  git  well  right 
sma't,"  declared  Nip,  when  the  spell  was 
completed.  "  Doan  go  fo'  to  fret  yo'self 
any  mo'  'bout  dat  splinter.  Dat  splinter 
am  comin'  out." 

Of  course  Nip  was  right. 

Two  mornings  after,  on  the  day  of  Brer's 
arrival  with  Uncle  Jim,  when  Mamma  was 
dressing  the  foot,  she  discovered  a  speck  in 
the  swollen  flesh.  She  tried  in  various 
ways  to  remove  it,  but  all  her  attempts 
being  unsuccessful,  she  at  last  called  Papa. 


314  UNDER   THE   WATER-OAKS. 

Mr.  Lee  examined  the  spot  carefully,  and 
then  sent  Brer  for  the  pincers. 

"  I  'm  going  to  hurt  you  some,  Joy," 
he  said ;  "  but  if  you  will  sit  right  still  in 
Mamma's  lap  and  stand  the  pain  like  a 
brave  little  woman,  it  will  be  over  in  a  min- 
ute, and  in  a  few  days  we  '11  have  a  well 
foot.  Besides,"  said  Papa,  mysteriously, 
"  when  this  splinter  is  out,  I  'm  going  to 
tell  you  a  secret." 

"  What,  Papa  ?  "  cried  Neal,  with  widen- 
ing eyes. 

"  Never  mind.  I  'm  going  to  tell  Joy 
first,  and  she  can  tell  the  rest  of  you.  Now 
be  brave,  little  girl," 

Joy  clung  close  in  Mamma's  helpful  arms, 
not  uttering  a  cry  until  all  was  over,  then 
she  could  not  help  sobbing  a  little  from  pain 
and  excitement.  In  a  minute  she  sat  up, 
and  laughing  hysterically,  brushed  away 
the  tears  to  see  the  splinter  that  the  boys 
were  exclaiming  over. 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  315 

It  was  an  orange-thorn,  fully  an  inch 
in  length,  that  had  been  buried  in  Joy's 
small  foot,  hiding  from  the  two  wise  doctors 
as  well  as  from  everybody  else. 

"  Gee  !  "  cried  Brer,  with  mock  concern. 
"  I  should  hate  to  have  Joy  step  on  me. 
I  say,  Mamma,  I  wish  you  'd  make  her 
wear  shoes.  It 's  right  dangerous  to  have 
her  round  here  barefoot.  Suppose,  now,  she 
should  step  on  one  of  us,  where  would 
we  be?" 

"  Ger-ate  guns  !  "  cried  Gene.  "  I  never 
thought  of  that.  We  'd  be  worse  off  than 
Joner  in  the  whale,  once  we  got  caught  in 
Joy's  foot." 

"  I  reckon  Nip's  fingers  or  Mamma's  salve 
could  conjure  you  out,"  laughed  Papa,  as 
he  went  down  the  steps.  The  determined 
clutch  of  a  small  hand  stopped  him. 

"  Well,  daughter,  what  is  it  ?  "  he  asked, 
looking  down  into  Neal's  shining  eyes. 

"  The  secret,"  she  demanded. 


316  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

"  Sure,  T  forgot."  He  returned  to 
Mamma's  side,  and  bending  down,  whis- 
pered very  softly  in  Joy's  ear. 

Joy's  face  flushed  and  her  eyes  snapped 
as  she  listened. 

"  You  don't  know,"  she  cried,  clapping 
her  hands  and  laughing  roguishly  at  the 
eager  faces  about  her. 

"  Papa  said  for  you  to  tell,"  screamed 
Neal,  stepping  on  Mamma's  toe  in  her 
excitement. 

"  Well,"  began  Joy,  promisingly.  Then 
she  paused  and  pursed  her  lips.  "  It 's  a 
secret,"  she  declared,  shaking  her  head. 

"  Now,  you  tell !  "  demanded  Gene. 

"Anew  —  "  Joy  looked  up  at  Mamma 
and  laughed.  "  A  new  —  "  again  she  paused 
tantalizingly. 

"Oh,  don't  tell  unless  you  want  to.  I 
reckon  it  is  n't  worth  telling,"  said  Brer, 
turning  his  back. 

"  It  is  too  !  A  new  teacher  is  coming  ! 
—  and  Tommy  !  " 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  317 

"Tommy!" 

"Who?" 

"When?" 

"Where  from?" 

"  Tommy  ?  " 

"Who's  Tommy?" 

"  Tommy  is  a  little  Yankee  boy,  coming 
down  to  the  Water-Oaks  with  his  cousin 
who  is  going  to  live  in  the  Owlets'  Roost 
this  winter  and  teach  you  boys." 

Mamma's  explanation  was  followed  by  a 
pause  of  dubious  silence.  The  introduction 
of  a  little  stranger  among  them  was  a  mat- 
ter of  serious  importance  to  the  children. 

"Is  Tommy  going  to  school?"  asked  Neal, 
at  last. 

"  Yes." 

"  We  '11  have  Nip  !  "  cried  Joy,  trium- 
phantly. 

"  How  do  you  know  you  '11  have  Nip  ? 
Come  along,  you  Nip."  Gene  cast  a  look  of 
defiance  at  the  girls,  and  with  Nip  in  his 


318  UNDER   THE    WATER-OAKS. 

wake,  followed  Brer  out  to  the  new  barn 
to  talk  the  unexpected  news  over.  The 
boys  betook  themselves  to  the  corn-crib,  and 
husked  numberless  ears  of  corn  on  the  sub- 
ject, but  at  last  they  could  not  quite  make 
up  their  minds  about  Tommy. 

"  I  should  n't  mind  seeing  a  Yankee  boy," 
grumbled  Gene;  "but  somehow  Tommy  — 
Tommy  sounds  like  a  period." 

"  A  period  ?  "  demanded  Brer. 

"  Like  a  stop  to  things,  you  see.  It  '11 
be  different  with  him  around." 

"  Of  course  it  won't  be  like  having  it  all 
to  ourselves,"  agreed  Brer. 

"  Tommy  sha'n't  come  to  the  Water- 
Oaks,"  declared  Gene,  with  sudden  heat. 

"  Oh,  come  now,  Gene,  what 's  the  use  ? 
We  're  bound  to  have  him.  I  reckon  he  '11 
be  a  heap  of  fun  too.  Papa  says  Yankees 
are  up  to  all  sorts  of  things,  you  know. 
I  wonder  what  he 's  like."  So  they  fell 
to  speculating  about  the  little  stranger. 


JOY'S  MISHAPS.  319 

Gene's  instinctive  feeling  that  Tommy's 
advent  to  the  piney  woods  would  end  the 
first  volume  of  their  happy,  lonely  times, 
was  natural  and  true  to  the  event ;  but 
Brer  also  was  right  in  anticipating  the  com- 
ing of  the  little  Yankee  from  away  up  yon- 
der as  the  beginning  of  a  new  chapter  in 
their  lives  of  fresh  and  lively  interest. 


THE    END. 


&»j? 


